


The Alphabet Romance

by Zhanice



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-01-25 15:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 52,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21358600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zhanice/pseuds/Zhanice
Summary: There's nothing quick about the romance between Mr. Gold and Belle French. It takes them from point A to point Z to make the same amount of progress most couples make getting from point A to point B.A is for Ants and Apartment, B is for Bookshelves and Brownies, C is for Cat and Cup, D is for Diner, Dorks and Deal with the Devil, E is for Email and Enigma, F is for Fur, Floof, Fluff and Flirting, G is for Gaston and Girls' Night Out...
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Comments: 176
Kudos: 187





	1. A is for Ants and Apartment

Mr. Gold cursed himself as he slowly climbed the steps to the apartment above the library. He’d purchased the building 3 years ago from the town, solely because he was tired of looking out at the boarded up old building located across the way from his pawnshop. He’d renovated and restored the library (a task that had been much easier and less costly than expected), and was now leasing it to the town in addition to renting out the third story apartment. What he hadn’t considered when he’d decided to turn the top level into a rental, was how strenuous it would be for him to climb the steps to it with his cane and bad ankle. 

He’d received a garbled voicemail message from his new tenant, Miss Belle French, and even though he had been unable to make out half of it, he could sense her urgency from the tone of her voice. He decided to show up at her apartment in person rather than return the call. This would give him the opportunity to take a look around. It was why he always collected rent in person rather than have it mailed to him or automatically deposited into an account. He felt that his presence was an added incentive to his renters to make their payments on time and to keep their premises in good condition.

He took a few seconds to catch his breath when he reached the landing before knocking on the door. 

“Mr. Gold! I wasn’t expecting you.” The look of surprise on her face gave him a sense of satisfaction. How he loved it when he caught them off guard.

“Miss French, did you not contact me about some urgent matter that needed my attention?”

“Oh... yes. Please come in.” She looked embarrassed as she apologized for the state of her apartment. “I’m still trying to find room for my books so they’re scattered all over the place. I’m usually much neater.” 

Gold noted the disarray and yet still recognized that there was something cozy and homey with what she had done so far. He’d originally been hesitant about renting the space to her. Her father, the town florist, was often late with his rent and currently owed Gold a bit of money. Miss French had just returned to town after being away at college and a job in Seattle. Her references had been impeccable, however, so he had decided that he should not judge the daughter based on her father’s flaws. Added to that, she was gainfully employed as the new town librarian.

“No need to apologize, Miss French. I, myself, know a thing or two about owning more items than your home can accommodate.” He wasn’t sure why he had shared that piece of info with her. Maybe it was the way she was looking at him with those beautiful blue eyes. He remembered her from years ago as a pretty little thing with a kind smile. Had she always been this beautiful?

Gold shook his head. What was he thinking? His goal here was to establish the appropriate landlord/tenant relationship with his new renter and to address her problem.

“You sounded quite distressed on the phone, Miss French. Something about needing help and being invaded by an army?” Gold looked around and raised an eyebrow in question. 

Belle giggled. “I may have exaggerated a bit.” A slight blush colored her cheeks. “There’s an army of ants parading through my kitchen. I think I found the spot where they’re getting in, but there must be a nest below me in the building. Our lease mentioned that you would handle any pest control issues.” Her eyes met his with a question in them.

Gold was impressed. This was a first. Someone who had actually read the rental contract. Hopefully, she would be as diligent about the terms when it came to adhering to her end of the agreement.

“As your landlord, that is indeed my responsibility.” He took the opportunity to point out their relationship status once again. “Do you have a commercial bug spray that you can use as a temporary deterrent, Miss French? If not, I can provide you with one. We’ll need to get the situation under control until I can hire an exterminator to get rid of them.”

“Oh, no! I don’t want to harm any of them! I was hoping we could find a humane way of removing them.” 

Gold stared at her. The woman’s apartment was being overrun by insects and she didn’t want to harm them. Most people would be spraying insecticide and crushing the bugs with their shoes, himself included. “Miss French, I’ve been a landlord for many years and I’m afraid what you’re asking is impossible. Contrary to any rumors you may have heard about me, I’m not a practitioner of the dark arts who can make something happen with a wave of my hand.”

Belle bit back a smile. “I did some research, Mr. Gold, and there are ways of humanely dealing with insect infestations. I can give you the contact info for a service that I found.” She stopped to chew on her bottom lip while searching his eyes. “The only issue is that it may be slightly more expensive than traditional services.”

Gold was not sure why he was even considering her suggestion. As the landlord of the apartment, it was up to him how he would handle these types of situations. It would not be good business to spend more money than necessary and it would certainly not be good business to establish a precedent like this.

“And, Mr. Gold… I don’t listen to rumors. I like to form my own opinions.” The beauty of the smile she gave him rivaled that of her eyes.

“Well then,” he heard himself saying, “I’ll see what I can do. My associate, Mr. Dove, will be in touch with you to make the arrangements.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Gold!” She lurched forward as though to hug him. Gold took a step back and immediately placed both hands on his cane to form a barrier between them.

“I’m not making any promises, Miss French. I’ll be weighing all factors before making my final decision.” He congratulated himself on his quick recovery. No need to let her get the false impression that he was doing her any favors.

“If that’s all, I’ll be on my way. Good day, Miss French.” He turned to leave.

“Good-bye, Mr. Gold. And thank you again!”

___________________________________________________________________________

“Has the problem been handled to Miss French’s satisfaction?” Gold looked at the man who was standing awkwardly before him with his hands behind his back.

“Yes, Mr. Gold,” Dove answered.

“Is there anything else?” It was obvious to Gold that Dove had more to say. Dove was a man of very few words that often had to be coaxed out of him.

“From Miss Belle.” Dove handed Mr. Gold a wrapped plate that looked like it contained cookies.

Gold’s confused expression prompted Dove to elaborate. “To thank you.”

Gold was flummoxed. No one ever thanked him for anything. This was another first. It made him wary.

“She wanted me to tell you that she was very appreciative.” 

Gold schooled his features to hide his surprise. “No need to thank me. I was simply fulfilling the terms of our rental agreement,” he replied matter-of-factly. After all, spending extra money to humanely remove the ants had nothing to do with Miss French. True, she had been the one to present the option to him, but his final decision had been based on sound business practices. Any hint of pesticides being used in the library would have undoubtedly led to a lawsuit from some unhappy citizen looking to make a quick buck off of him. Using this humane approach would prevent that from happening.

He glared at Dove in an attempt to emphasize his point. He could have sworn that he’d noticed a tiny smile gracing Dove’s lips and did not like the implication. As he was staring at Dove, he discovered something that made him rather gleeful.

“That will be all then.” Gold dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “Oh, and Dove,” a wicked smile formed on Gold’s face, “there’s something on your cheek.”

Dove reached up reflexively to the exact spot Gold was referring to.

“It looks like lipstick.” 

Dove blushed a deep red and Gold’s smile widened. “Evidently Miss French appreciated your efforts also.” When Dove didn’t deny it, Gold chuckled to himself and returned to the back room of his shop satisfied that he’d made his point. He could now get back to his daily routine free of any further thoughts about Miss Belle French.


	2. B is for Bookshelves and Brownies

Gold sighed. He’d been working on the same watch for 3 hours without making any progress. As he straightened himself to take a break, his eye once again wandered to the yellow plate that sat next to him on the counter. The plate, a large yellow smiley face, was annoying enough on its own, but it was now distracting him from his work. It was not that the plate kept reminding him of Miss French who had sent him a delicious batch of cookies on that plate (no, it wasn’t that at all), it was simply that he hated smiley faces and everything they stood for (even saying the name made him cringe). There was only one solution. He would return the plate to her immediately rather than wait until later in the day as he had originally planned.

“Gold!” David Nolan, the town sheriff, barged into the shop disrupting Gold’s thoughts. “I need your help!”

Gold groaned. When didn’t the man need his help?

“What can I do for you, Mr. Nolan? Did Mrs. Lucas lose her spectacles again? Is Mayor Mills missing an apple from her tree?” 

“No, this isn’t official business.” Nolan, oblivious to Gold’s sarcasm, continued on. “I need a gift for Mary Margaret.”

“Ah!” A paying customer. Gold was pleased. “Is this for a special occasion?”

“Not exactly. I’ve been working extra hours at the station and Mary Margaret misses me. I need something that will remind her of me whenever she looks at it.” David grinned.

Gold was just about to make a snide comment when David cut him off. “This is perfect! I can serve her dinner on this tonight and then she can hang it on the wall as a decoration!” Nolan had spotted the smiley face plate on the counter and was holding it up for inspection.

Really? Of all the beautiful items on display in his shop, Nolan had zeroed in on that tacky dish? Why was he not surprised? “I’m afraid that’s not for sale, Sheriff. But I do have something else that could perhaps serve the same purpose.” Gold moved from behind the counter and gestured for David to follow him.

Nolan voiced his disappointment. “That plate would have been perfect. Mary Margaret loves smiley face emojis.”

Gold had no idea what he was babbling about so he was happy that they had reached the cabinet that housed a variety of decorative plates. He removed one and handed it to David. “It’s Snow White and her Prince Charming. Isn’t ‘Charming’ Mrs. Nolan’s pet name for you?” Gold grimaced as he said it.

“Yes, it is.” David laughed. “This is even better than the other one, Gold. Mary Margaret is going to love it!” 

“I should think so,” Gold muttered to himself. This was a beautiful and unique piece. The other plate was a smiley face for goodness’ sake. 

“How much?” David looked hopefully at Gold.

“I think we can negotiate a fair price.” A ghost of a smile crossed Gold’s lips. There was nothing he loved quite as much as brokering a deal.

______________________________________________________________________

When Gold finished his transaction with Nolan, he placed Miss French’s plate into a bag, and made his way over to the library to return it to her before anyone else could enter the shop.

He quietly opened the door and stepped inside. The warmth of the place engulfed him. It reminded him of her apartment - there was something cozy and homey about it.

“Mr. Gold!” He heard the clack of her heels before he saw her. He turned his gaze in her direction. His eyes were immediately drawn to the blue very high heels she was wearing and the very shapely legs that went with them. He gulped and quickly raised his eyes to her face before she could notice him staring. 

“I’m so happy to see you here, Mr. Gold!” Her smile was stunning. “I wanted to thank you in person for your help with the ants.”

Gold was relieved that the library appeared to be empty. It would not do for any of the townsfolk to think he’d done anything out of the ordinary for Miss French. “That’s quite unnecessary, Miss French. I was simply fulfilling my duties as your landlord and your suggestion just happened to make the most sense for a building that would be open to the public. I should actually thank you for providing me with the info.” He hadn’t thought about it quite that way before now, but it was actually true. 

Belle’s smile widened. A tiny blush bloomed on her cheeks. “Then we can thank each other.”  
Her hand brushed his sending a shiver through his body.

“Very well, then.” He stood there for a moment. His mind had gone blank. 

“Were you here for a specific reason, Mr. Gold?” Her eyes rested on the bag in his hand.

“Ah… yes. I believe this is yours.” He handed her the bag. “The cookies were delicious. Thank you.”

“My plate.” She smiled. “I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies - they’re my mom’s recipe. She always served them on this plate because I used to be sad when there were no cookies left. She said I couldn’t be sad looking at a smiley face.” She beamed at him and he almost felt guilty, almost being the key word.

Yes, he had found himself smiling while enjoying her cookies the previous evening, but that was solely due to the cookies themselves. It certainly had nothing to do with the annoying plate and it most certainly had nothing to do with his memory of Miss French’s own smile.

He cleared his throat and attempted to steer the conversation in another direction. “Have you given any additional thought to how you might handle the overflow of books in your apartment, Miss French?”

Belle chewed on her lower lip before answering. “I thought about it after our conversation the other day, but wanted to pass my idea by you.” She paused and met his eyes.

“I’d like to install some bookshelves on the walls… the rental agreement mentioned that I could hang items on the walls as long I repaired any holes or damage when I move out. I think I can get Leroy or someone else handy to help me.” 

“No need to find help, Miss French,” he heard himself saying. “I can send Mr. Dove to assist you.”

“That would be wonderful, Mr. Gold!” Her joy radiated off of her and then suddenly subsided. “But I really couldn’t impose on you that way. It would be much too generous.” Her big blue eyes locked with his.

“Nonsense.” It was as if Gold was on auto-pilot. “This is simply a way for me to protect my investment. Bookshelves can be very tricky to install. If done incorrectly, there can be major damage. Mr. Dove has excellent experience. He installed several in my own home and knows what he’s doing.” That was better. Once again, this was a sound business decision on his part, not a favor.

“I don’t know how I’m going to thank you, Mr. Gold! I really appreciate this! And Raymond was so helpful with the ants.”

Gold raised his eyebrow. “Raymond?”

Belle giggled. “I meant Mr. Dove. He’s such a sweetheart!” 

Well this was an interesting development. He’d hired the 6’ 9” 265 lb. Mr. Dove to serve as a source of surrogate intimidation when he wasn’t available himself. Now Dove was ‘Raymond’, the sweetheart. Gold filed this unexpected tidbit away for use at a later date.

“Well then, Miss French. I think we’re all set here. I’ll have Mr. Dove get in touch with you to make the arrangements.”

He turned to leave. “Good day, Miss French.”

“Good Day, Mr. Gold. And thank you again!” 

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Is Miss French happy with her new bookshelves?” Gold glanced up at the man standing before him.

“Yes, Mr. Gold,” Dove answered in his usual fashion.

“And?” Gold wondered if the man would ever be more forthcoming.

“For you.” He handed Gold a plate of what looked like brownies. “From Miss Belle… to thank you.”

Gold once again noticed the tiniest smile crack Dove’s stoic features.

“No need to thank me,” Gold replied. “As Miss French knows, I was just protecting my investment.” He couldn’t stress that enough.

His eyes landed on Dove’s face searching for any telltale sign of lipstick. Dove stood motionless save for an almost imperceptible twitch of his cheek. 

Gold smirked. “If she should be thanking anyone, it should be you. She was singing your praises after your help with the ants. I can only surmise that she’s even more grateful now.” 

Dove stood motionless save for the color that rose to his face.

Gold chuckled to himself. “That will be all, Dove.” 

“Yes, sir.” Dove turned to leave.

Just as Dove approached the door, Gold spoke. “Have a good day, Raymond.” Dove froze in his tracks before hurrying out of the shop.

Gold felt rather pleased with himself. He’d once again cleverly subverted any false impressions that Dove may have been harboring about his reasons for assisting Miss French.

As his eyes returned to the counter and landed on the plate of brownies, his pleasure subsided. There was no doubt that the smiley face was back and that it would be disturbing his thoughts again. He was about to remove the plate to the back room when his traitorous stomach growled. Gold sighed. There was no getting away from it. He’d have one brownie with a cup of tea and then it would be out of this thoughts. A vision of Belle’s smiling face appeared before him as he took his first bite. A sound of pure bliss escaped his lips. It startled him and brought a scowl to his face. He relaxed after a second bite. The brownies were delicious. Maybe even better than the cookies. His bliss was undoubtedly due to the pure delight they brought him and had nothing whatsoever to do with the vision of Miss Belle French that they evoked.


	3. C is for Cat and Cup

Gold glanced at the clock - 10:15am. He retrieved Miss French’s plate from the back room of his shop. He’d decided that there was no need to offend his sensibilities by leaving the smiley face where he could see it, so he’d stored it away out of sight. He’d only been thinking about it and Miss French because he knew that he had to return it to her. Once the plate was gone, he’d have no reason to think about her again until the next rent payment was due.

Gold placed the plate on the front counter while he searched for a bag to carry it in.

The bell above his entrance door jangled, followed by the sharp clacking of heels, a distinct sound that could only be attributed to Mayor Mills. He continued his search without looking up. Nothing irked the mayor more than failing to garner immediate attention, a fact that Gold always used to his advantage.

“Gold!” The impatience in her voice brought a smirk to his face.

“Ah… Mayor Mills, what can I do for you today?” His smirk grew.

“Let’s not play games, Gold. You know exactly why I’m here. Have you found out anything about that piece of land I’m trying to develop?”

“Patience, Regina. These things take time. I should have everything you need by the beginning of next week.” He displayed his teeth in a way that brought to mind a shark.

“Up until recently, you would have had everything tied up by now.” It was her turn to smirk.  
“I hope you’re not losing your edge, Gold.” She knew how to push his buttons as well as he did hers. 

“No need to worry, Regina.” He bared his teeth further, offering an unspoken challenge.

Regina pretended to sniffle. “I’m just concerned about you… first it was the cat… and now this.” She held up the smiley face plate for inspection. “It’s so unlike you.” She offered him a chilling smile.

Gold would have grabbed the plate back from her if he hadn’t been so thrown off balance by her cat comment. “What cat?,” he growled.

Regina’s smirk almost matched his. “The one that was waiting at your door when I arrived. It came in with me and ran into your back room. You would have noticed if you’d looked up.”

Before Gold could answer, they heard a crash and the sound of breaking glass.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave,” she laughed. “I’ll expect to see you on Monday.” She sashayed out of the shop, slamming the door behind her.  
Gold clutched his cane and hurried to the back of the shop. A drinking glass that had been partially filled with water sat shattered in a puddle on the floor. What was next to it made his heart stop. He bent down to pick up the blue and white cup that he’d just unpacked. It had a small triangular chip missing from its rim. 

Gold cursed under his breath and looked around for the culprit. “Here kitty, kitty...” He didn’t want to spook the animal and cause more damage. He needed to find it and remove it from the premises.

Gold sat down on his cot. He thought he’d be less intimidating if he wasn’t standing.

A ball of white fur suddenly appeared out of nowhere, meowing and staring at him with its big blue eyes. Blue eyes that immediately brought to mind a certain Miss Belle French. Gold shook his head. The librarian was much too prominent in his thoughts. He was definitely going to have to do something about it.

Right now he needed to concentrate on ridding himself of his unwelcome visitor. He could see a collar around the animal’s neck even though it was mostly hidden by its long white fur. This was promising. Hopefully there was a tag that would identify the cat’s owner. Whoever it was would be on the receiving end of his wrath. That person would have a steep price to pay. The cup was irreplaceable - it was the last one in existence to complete the set. The thought of how he would exact payment almost made up for the loss.

Gold patted the cot next to him, willing the cat to jump up and give him access to the collar. “Here now, kitty.” He spoke in his most soothing voice, continuing to pat the cot beside him. To his surprise, the cat leaped up and rubbed its head against Gold’s hand. “Good kitty.” Gold used the opportunity to pet the feline, gradually moving his hand down so that he could feel for a tag. When his hand discovered a round medallion, he positioned it so that he could get a look. He moved the white fur away only to uncover a yellow smiley face tag. Gold groaned. It couldn’t be. Sure enough, when he turned it to the other side, he was not surprised to find Snowball, Belle French, and a phone number engraved on it.

Well, Miss French was finally going to get to see his dark side. He’d been very accommodating with her up to this point, perhaps too much so. This would be his opportunity to show her who he really was.

Snowball (he shuddered at the name), was settling herself on his cot, so he took the opportunity to quietly get up. He fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number from the tag.

“Hello?” Belle French’s lovely voice sent a jolt of warmth through his body that he did his best to ignore.

“This is Mr. Gold, Miss French.”

“Oh! Mr. Gold, what can I do for you?” Her voice betrayed her surprise at receiving a call from him.

“I have something of yours at my shop and I’d appreciate it if you would come to retrieve it as soon as possible.” No need to alert her to the circumstances ahead of time. He found that the element of surprise always served him well.

“Um… I was just about to take a break, so I can be there in a few minutes.” Belle assumed that he wanted her to pick up the smiley face plate. His call was rather strange since he’d returned it himself the last time, but maybe there was something else he wanted to show her. Belle smiled to herself. She’d wanted to visit Mr. Gold in his shop for quite some time now so this was perfect. She told her assistant that she’d be gone for a few minutes and then headed across the street to Mr. Gold’s.

Gold was standing behind the front counter when Belle entered the shop. He couldn’t help noticing how the bell above the door seemed to melodically tinkle for her, so unlike the jarring jangle of the bell that announced Regina’s entrance. 

“Good morning, Mr. Gold.” She graced him with her brightest smile.

Gold clutched his cane. He needed to keep his composure.

“Miss French, there’s something I’d like you to see in the back.” He gestured toward the curtain.

Belle continued to smile. “Your shop is fascinating. I’ve been meaning to stop by.” She looked around as she followed him.

“Meow!” Snowball jumped down off the cot and rushed over to Belle.

“Snowball, what are you doing here?” Belle leaned over to pet the cat while looking up at Gold with a question in her eyes.

Gold cleared his throat. This was the perfect opening for him. He swept his hand toward the shattered glass on the floor and the workbench where the chipped cup was sitting.

Belle gasped. Her eyes surveyed the mess on the floor and then settled on the cup. “Did you do this, Snowball?” She took the cup in her hands to assess the damage. “It’s chipped.” Her eyes met Gold’s and he nodded.

“I’m so sorry!” Her lip wobbled. “I hope this isn’t a rare piece.”

“Please don’t be upset, Miss French. It’s just a cup.” Gold gritted his teeth. His first instinct, much to his chagrin, had been to comfort her. So much for letting her see his dark side. Was Regina right? Was he losing his edge? 

“Oh, Mr. Gold, I’m sure it’s more than that. I can see that it’s part of this lovely tea set.” She pointed to the rest of the set. “ Please let me know how I can repay you for this.” Her eyes beseech him.

And then it dawned on him. He wasn’t getting soft after all. His mind had subconsciously realized that there was no need for him to terrorize Miss French over the cup. True, that would be his go to method for dealing with most of the town’s inhabitants. But Miss French was not just anyone. Her intelligence and quick wit could be of great value to him.

He relaxed and smiled at her. “Miss French, if you insist, I think we can come to an agreement about the cup… broker a deal so to speak.” Now he was in his element.

He could almost see the tension melt away from her. “Yes, please, Mr. Gold. I do insist.”

“Well then… I’m researching something for the town and have need of some historical documents. If you could gather anything that’s available at the library for me, I would consider that to be your repayment. The only caveat is that I need all materials by the end of the week. Are those terms agreeable to you?”

“Of course! I’m so happy I can do something to help you. I’ve already started a section in the library devoted strictly to Storybrooke. And I can sift through the other stacks of books and materials waiting to be catalogued to see if there’s anything else.” She beamed at him.

“Very good. I can stop by tomorrow morning to review what you have ready for me.”

“Meow! Meow!” Snowball was evidently tired of all this conversation and wanted attention.

Belle bent down and scooped her up. “You bad, bad girl.” Belle nuzzled the cat’s head and kissed her. “You were very naughty today sneaking into Mr. Gold’s shop and breaking his cup.” Belle looked at her sternly and then kissed her again.

Gold watched them with fascination. If that’s how Belle French punished bad behavior maybe he should have shown her his dark side. 

“You know she really likes you.” It took Gold a couple of seconds to realize that Belle was speaking to him. He was appalled at what he’d been thinking. “She’s doesn’t like most people so usually hides or runs when they get near her.”  
“That may explain why she ran into the shop when she encountered Mayor Mills… The poor animal couldn’t get away from her fast enough. Not an uncommon reaction.” Gold was thankful for his quick recovery especially since it was at Regina’s expense.

“Mr. Gold!” Belle giggled in spite of herself.

Gold grinned. It pleased him to make Belle French laugh.

They looked at each other with silly grins on their faces until Snowball interrupted with another meow.

A slight blush colored Belle’s cheeks. “I,” she hesitated,” I should get back to the library.”

“Yes.” Gold cleared his throat. “Till tomorrow then.”

“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow. And thank you again!” 

Gold watched them leave before turning toward the back room. He’d forgotten to give her the smiley face plate, but it was of no matter. He’d return it tomorrow. He cleaned up the mess and found the chipped piece from the cup. He contemplated fixing it, but decided against it. He could salvage what was left of the tea set even though the value was considerably compromised.

He decided to keep the chipped cup for himself. The lovely blue design on the white background spoke to him. He’d bring it home where he felt it belonged. A vision of Belle French with her stunning blue eyes and flawless pale skin appeared before his eyes. He enjoyed it for a minute before shaking his head to chase it away.


	4. D is for Diner, Dorks, and Deal with the Devil

If anyone had been paying attention, they would have noticed something different about Mr. Gold this morning. There was a spring in his step and an expression on his face that they would have mistaken for a smile if they didn’t know better. It may have been due to the brisk air on this bright, sunny day in Maine or maybe it was due to the fact that he would be collecting on a deal in a few hours. It most definitely had nothing to do with the fact that the deal involved seeing Miss Belle French.

As he approached Granny’s Diner for his morning coffee, he slackened his pace and schooled his features so that they did not betray his good mood. He had a reputation to maintain after all and did not need any false rumors about him losing his edge to gain momentum. As an added precaution he forced a scowl to his face before opening the door and entering.

The silence that fell over the diner at his entrance almost brought a smile back to his face. Nothing had changed. The townsfolk had reacted as they always did when he graced them with his presence. He congratulated himself and turned toward the counter.

What he saw there brought him to a halt. Miss French, with her beautiful long flowing locks, was sitting at the counter facing away from him. He regained his composure before anyone could notice, and reminded himself that his reaction was strictly one of surprise. Miss French had just recently returned to town and had never been one of the regulars that he expected to see there each day.

She turned as he approached the counter and greeted him with a welcoming smile. “Good morning, Mr. Gold.”

“Miss French.” He acknowledged her with a nod of his head. He could see Ruby Lucas, the owner’s granddaughter and waitress, watching him, so he nodded to her also.

“Your order will be out in a minute, Mr. Gold. I’m brewing a new pot of coffee,” Ruby informed him. 

“I’m so happy to see you here!” It took a second for Gold to realize that Belle was addressing him, and when he did, it made his heart stutter. Once again, he attributed his reaction to the element of surprise. He was not used to anyone speaking to him while he waited for his morning coffee.

“Likewise, Miss French.” The words escaped him without his permission. He quickly surveyed the diner. He was thankful that the patrons had gone back to eating and were no longer paying him any mind. 

A tiny blush appeared on Belle’s cheeks and Gold couldn’t deny that he was charmed. 

“I was able to gather quite a bit of material for you and I’m sure there’s more.” She smiled at him. “Do you know what time you’ll be stopping by today?”

“Would 10:30 be amenable to you?” Gold asked.

“That would be perfect! I’ll expect to see you then.” Her smile widened and he found himself smiling in return.

“Your blueberry pancake, Belle.” Ruby deposited the plate in front of Belle while giving Gold a strange look.

Gold ignored her. His attention was on the pancake that was the size of the plate it sat on. He chuckled.

“It’s not that big,” Belle laughed when she saw the way he was staring.

“Oh, it’s not that, Miss French,” he tried to hide his grin, “I was just surprised that you didn’t ask Mrs. Lucas to decorate it with a smiley face for you.”

Belle giggled. “I don’t think she’s the smiley face type,” she whispered to him conspiratorially.

Gold’s grin deepened. “And you think I am?”

Belle laughed outright at this. “Maybe?” was all she could say in response when she thought about just how incongruous the smiley face was when juxtaposed with Mr. Gold and his impeccable appearance and taste.

Gold laughed too, totally impervious to any attention he and Miss French might be attracting.

“Your order, Mr. Gold.” Ruby held the cup of coffee between them. The look she gave them was rewarded by the most threatening glare Gold could summon. 

“Thank you, Miss Lucas,” he replied coldly.

“Miss French.” He nodded to her again. “I’ll be by to review those materials.”

“Good bye, Mr. Gold.” A smile played on her lips as she watched him leave.

“What was that all about?” Ruby asked before he was barely out the door.

“What was what all about?” Belle avoided Ruby’s gaze by transferring her attention to her pancake.

“You and Gold. You two seemed awfully chummy. The man was actually smiling!” Ruby’s statement almost came across as an accusation.

Belle fought back a blush. “We were discussing a deal we made.” 

“You what?” Ruby’s tone forced Belle to look up. “You made a deal with the devil?”

“Ruby! I made a deal with Mr. Gold,” Belle corrected her.

“That’s worse.” Ruby pretended to be appalled and then laughed at her own joke.

“Ruby!” Belle giggled. “It’s not like that. He’s actually doing me a big favor. Snowball broke one of his antique cups so I’m doing some research for him to repay him. And it’s only because I insisted.” Belle was no longer able to fight the blush that colored her cheeks.

“Oh my God! You like him!” Belle couldn’t tell if Ruby was disgusted or delighted.

“Shhh!” Belle glanced around praying that no one was listening. “Of course I like him. He’s been very kind to me.” Belle could feel her blush deepening.

Ruby was not about to let it go. “Oh no, you like like him… as in you’re attracted to him.” 

Belle shook her head. “I do think he’s attractive, but he would never be interested in somebody like me. He’s so polished and sophisticated and I’m, well, I’m very different.”

“Really? If you ask me, he’s very interested. I’ve never seen him smiling and laughing the way he was this morning.”

“Do you think so?” Belle looked hopeful and Ruby jumped on it.

“I knew it! You do like him. And, yes, I think he likes you.” Ruby scrunched her nose in distaste. “I don’t even want to think about it, but I’m pretty sure he was flirting with you. The two of you were acting like a couple of dorks.”

Belle thought back to their conversation. He had been teasing her about the smiley face. 

“Please don’t say anything about this to anyone, Ruby. I don’t want any of this to get back to Mr. Gold,” Belle whispered in an attempt to keep their voices low.

“My lips are sealed.” Ruby made a show of dramatically zipping her lip. “But you have to keep me in the loop.”

“Do you really think there’s any chance of this going anywhere?” Belle knew it was a losing battle to deny her feelings. Ruby always seemed to have a sixth sense about these things.

“We’re talking about Gold here, Belle. Five minutes ago I would have never expected to use the words Gold, smiling, laughing, and flirting in the same sentence. I wouldn’t have wanted to use them in the same sentence. Now we’re talking about him dating one of my closest friends.”

“I know.” Belle nibbled on her lip. “I don’t even know his first name and he insists on calling me Miss French. We’re far from establishing any kind of meaningful relationship.”

“Mr. Gold… I still can’t believe it.” Ruby laughed and then she got serious. “No matter what, I’m here for you, Belle. You know I want you to be happy, but I’m still very wary of that man. He doesn’t do anything out of the goodness of his heart. If he makes a deal with you, there’s always a catch. Just know that I’m going to keep my eye on him.”

“Thanks, Ruby.” Belle smiled. She knew her friend meant well, but she was also pretty sure that Mr. Gold’s reputation was greatly exaggerated. She remembered her father complaining about him in the past, but his issues with Mr. Gold had always been his own doing. 

“Ruby! Can I bother you to get this order?” There was no missing the sarcasm in Granny’s voice.

“Granny’s calling. I have to get back to work,” she apologized. “Just one more thing. If you find out his name, I want to be the first to know. It’s one of Storybrooke’s biggest secrets.”

Belle nodded. It was true. There were many things about Mr. Gold that seemed to be a secret. Or maybe no one had ever bothered to ask. Fortunately for her, Belle had always enjoyed peeling back the layers to get to know somebody. A vision of Mr. Gold without his jacket and tie and with a few of his shirt buttons undone flitted across her mind. She bent her head down to hide her red cheeks and tried to concentrate on finishing her breakfast.


	5. E is for Email and Enigma

Belle was finding it difficult to concentrate. No matter how much she tried to steer it in a different direction, her mind kept replaying the conversation she’d had with Mr. Gold that morning. She couldn’t stop the smile that kept creeping up on her as she thought about him and the playfulness that had been in his voice and eyes as they’d interacted. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she did not hear him enter the library. It wasn’t until she heard the tapping of his cane on the marble floors that she realized that he had arrived and was slowly making his way toward her. Her eyes darted to the clock - 10:30 - of course he was on time. Everything about the man screamed precision. 

“Mr. Gold!” Belle sprung up from her seat to greet him. Her hand automatically flew to her hair to arrange it. She felt her heart racing and didn’t know if was from surprise or from just being in his presence. 

“Miss French.” Gold’s lips curved into a crooked smile as he stopped and tightened his grip on his cane. He too could feel his heart beating in his chest and needed a second to restore his equilibrium. He’d felt a bit off balance since his encounter with Miss French at the diner earlier that morning. 

They stood awkwardly smiling at each other until Belle reminded herself why he was there. A slight blush rose to her cheeks. “I have everything ready for you, Mr. Gold.” She pointed toward the back of the building and then led him to the out of the way corner where the materials were located. “I think you can work here in relative peace.”

Gold surveyed the shelves and stack of papers that had been prepared for him. “This is excellent, Miss French. It seems I have my work cut out for me.” He smiled again.

As he was about to pull out a chair to seat himself, he realized that he was still holding the bag with Belle’s smiley face plate in it. “I, uh, this is yours.” He handed the bag to her. “Thank you for the brownies. They were delicious.” 

Belle smiled brightly. “I’m glad you enjoyed them, Mr. Gold.” She giggled when she once again recalled their earlier discussion. “I hope you didn’t find the smiley face to be too intrusive.”

“I managed,” Gold huffed.

Belle laughed and Gold grinned. Up until that morning he’d been annoyed by the very existence of that plate. Now he was almost thinking about it with a certain fondness. Gold did not want to examine this change in his attitude too deeply. He was afraid of what he might have to admit to himself.

“Well then,” Gold forced himself to address the business at hand, “I suppose I should take a look at these documents.” 

“Of course. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance. I’ll be at the circulation desk if you need me.” 

“Thank you, Miss French.”

Belle was elated that she and Mr. Gold seemed to be continuing where they’d left off that morning. Maybe she did have a chance with him. Well, at least he had partially abandoned his strict business demeanor and seemed more relaxed in her presence. 

Since the library was quiet, Belle continued working on her research for Mr. Gold. She decided to take a look at a pile of maps that had caught her eye. After going through a large stack of them, while frequently sneezing from the dust, she was rewarded by the discovery of several Storybrooke-related maps. A couple of them seemed quite old and were difficult to decipher. She wondered if these might be of value to Mr. Gold’s research. He had not confided in her what he was looking for, but she sensed that it had something to do with the town’s history. She decided that it was worth disturbing him to give him these documents rather than waiting until later.

Gold looked up as he heard the clack of her heels approaching him. His eyes betrayed him by focusing on the shapely legs that he’d tried so hard not to think about since the last time he’d noticed them. 

“Mr. Gold.” He jerked his head up when she called his name. He hoped she hadn’t seen him staring.

“I found some maps of Storybrooke that I thought could be of interest to you,” she explained as she leaned over next to him to spread them out on the table.

Gold’s heartbeat increased rapidly. He first thought it was from her close proximity to him, but when he got a better look at the maps and realized what they revealed, he attributed his excitement to this new discovery. When her upper arm brushed against his and a strange sensation coursed through his body, the maps disappeared from his mind. 

“They’re very fragile so you’ll have to be careful,” she cautioned.

Gold snapped back to attention. “Yes, of course, Miss French.” He noticed the fraying and cracking parchment. “I believe these will be very helpful to me. Is there a way to make copies so I don’t have to handle the originals? I’d hate to cause any damage to them.” 

“Yes, I can definitely do that.” Belle was pleased that he was thinking the same way she was. Then she had an idea. “If you’d like, I can also scan them and email them to you.” 

“That would be excellent. I’d be most appreciative.” He smiled at her.

Belle almost felt guilty. Her idea was partially selfish. It had occurred to her that this would be an opportunity to hopefully gain some additional insight into Mr. Gold. Maybe his email would contain his first name or at least be descriptive enough to reveal something about him.

“Do you have a library card? If you do, I’ll have your email on file.” Belle already knew the answer to that question. Evidently, everyone on the town council had been issued a library card without any backup paperwork.

“Yes, I do, but I don’t think you have my personal email. Let me write it down for you.” He removed a business card from his pocket, and wrote on the back. “Please don’t use my business email. I’d prefer having these documents sent to my personal account.”

Belle could barely contain her excitement. This was going better than she could have anticipated. She accepted the card from him and checked the email to make sure she could read his handwriting. - Mr.Gold@gmail.com. She should have known.

Belle was not about to give up that easily. “I’m surprised you were able to obtain Mr.Gold as your account name. You usually have to add a first name and initials or even a random number to make it unique.” 

Gold looked like the cat who had caught the canary. 

“You made a deal, didn’t you?” Belle had to laugh in spite of her disappointment.

“Of course. When two people want something the other has, a deal can always be struck.”

Belle giggled and then sighed. She hadn’t learned anything new about him. Leave it to him to make a deal over an email account. 

“What about you, Miss French? Should I surmise that your email isn’t Belle.French?”

“Mine’s booklover816@gmail.com,” Belle shared with a smile.

“Ah… I should have guessed. Does the 816 have any significance?” 

“Yes, it does. After the library closed down years ago, the clock stopped at 8:15 and nobody ever bothered to fix it. I used to watch it hoping I’d see it move to 8:16 and it would mean that the library had opened again.” She hesitated. “It’s thanks to you that my wish finally came true.”

“That’s a lovely story, Miss French. I’m glad that I could be of assistance in granting your wish.” He was about to add something about the restoration of the library being a sound business decision, but the appreciation in her eyes rendered him speechless. He didn’t ask himself why, but he wanted to be the source of her happiness.

A few seconds of awkwardness, that seemed like an eternity, passed between them. Belle finally broke the tension. “What about you, Mr. Gold? Did you ever think of creating an email that was more descriptive than just your name?” Belle decided to make a last attempt to cajole some information out of him.

“Like Beast_of_Storybrooke?” Gold chuckled as he referred to the name the Storybrooke residents used for him. 

“No!” Belle objected. “I was thinking more along the lines of Dealmaker_Extraordinaire.” 

“That would be a bit presumptuous on my part, don’t you think?”

“Are you saying that you don’t think it’s true?” Belle challenged him.

“Of course it’s true, Miss French. I’m just trying to practice a bit of humility.” He smirked.

Belle laughed. She had not come much closer to solving the enigma that was Mr. Gold, but it felt rewarding to have him being playful with her. If anything, she was more determined than ever to find out what was in his heart. She was sure that deep down he wasn’t the beast of Storybrooke or the cold, calculating dealmaker.

“I should go scan these maps for you and let you get back to work,” Belle reluctantly stated.

Gold nodded. “Thank you again, Miss French. Your help has been invaluable.”

Gold could not resist watching her as she walked away. The shapely legs, the long wavy chestnut hair, the… Gold stopped himself. The woman was intelligent, kind and caring and here he was ogling her like one of the common hooligans who frequented the Rabbit Hole. Belle French deserved better. He berated himself and returned to his research, but not before allowing himself one last lingering look.


	6. F is for Fur, Floof, Fluff, and Flirting

Mary Margaret Nolan entered Gold’s pawn shop, quietly closing the door behind her. Mr. Gold, who was examining something on the front counter, raised one eye when he heard the bell above the door tinkle. “Mrs. Nolan. To what do I owe this pleasure?” He raised his head to give her his full attention.

“Good morning, Mr. Gold.” She approached the counter and placed her hands on it to give herself support. “David’s 30th birthday is coming up and I want to do something special for him.” She paused. “He mentioned seeing a sword in your shop that he liked and I was wondering if it’s something that I could afford.” She surveyed the room as if looking for the item in question.

“Indeed,” Mr. Gold replied. “I know the sword to which you’re referring. Your husband has expressed his interest in it more than once. I happen to have it right here.” He gestured to a long wooden box that sat right in front of him on the counter.

Mary Margaret shivered. There was something about dealing with Mr. Gold that always left her feeling unsettled. It was as though he knew what you were going to say or do before you did. The fact that the very sword that she wanted to discuss was sitting there as if waiting for her intensified her uneasiness.

“How convenient,” she steadied her voice as she replied. She did not want him to think he had the upper hand here.

“Yes… it is.” Gold smirked knowingly and Mary Margaret had to look away to calm her nerves.

“Let me show you.” Gold opened the box and removed the gold and black hilted sword with great care. “It’s a beauty,” he observed.

Mary Margartet had to agree. “I can see why David was so drawn to it. May I?” She extended her hand to take hold of it.

“Of course.” Gold watched as she inspected the item. “You seem quite comfortable with that weapon, Mrs. Nolan.”

Mary Margaret smiled. “David collects swords so I’m used to handling them. I’d love to be able to add this to his collection.” She handed the sword back to Gold. “How much does it cost?”

Gold gently replaced the sword in the case while making a show of pondering her question. 

“I’m sure we can come to some agreement,” he finally answered. “Strike a deal so to speak.” His gold tooth glinted as he bared his teeth to smile.

Mary Margaret waited for him to continue. She was used to the pawnbroker’s methods. 

Gold cleared his throat. “Since I want this item to find the right home and I know the sheriff will take good care of it, I can offer it to you for…” Gold removed a business card from his pocket and wrote a number on the back.

Mary Margaret gulped. It was a bit over her top limit. Now she’d have to try to haggle with Gold which was something she was hoping to avoid.

“Is there any way you can do better? I’d really love to get this for David’s birthday, but it’s out of my range.”

Gold fingered the sword again and then smiled. “I’m feeling a bit generous today, Mrs. Nolan.” He crossed out the number on the business card and added another. “I’m going to offer it to you at a reduced rate - no strings attached. Consider it my way of wishing the sheriff a happy birthday.”

Mary Margaret was overjoyed. She was still wary of Gold, and this sudden generosity made her nervous, but she wanted the sword badly. “Thank you so much, Mr. Gold! David is going to love it!”

“My pleasure, Mrs. Nolan.” He almost sounded sincere.

Before she could second guess herself, Mary Margaret worked out the details with the pawnbroker, arranging to pick up the sword on David’s birthday. 

As she let herself out of the shop, a white cat ran in before she could stop it. Did the cat belong to Gold? First his generosity and now a cat? If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was getting soft. 

Gold heard the door shut as Mary Margaret exited. He closed the box with the sword and balanced it in his free arm to carry it into the back room. He was about to place it down when something caught his eye. Belle’s cat was curled up in a ball in the middle of his cot.

“How did you get in here?” Gold could only surmise that the cat had entered via Mary Margaret. 

Snowball did not look up. Her purring intensified as she placed a paw over her face.

“Do you know how long it took me to get rid of your fur the last time you were here? Even the dry cleaner couldn’t get all of it off my trousers.” Gold didn’t know why he was talking to a cat. What he needed to do was call Miss French. Yes, that’s what he needed to do. And he would also need to be quite insistent this time that she find a way to keep her cat away from his shop. As charming and lovely and kind as she was, he would have to be firm about this.

He fished his phone from his pocket and dialed her number.

“Hello, Mr. Gold!” The sound of her voice immediately set him off kilter.

“Good morning, Miss French… I, um I have something of yours in my shop…”

“Oh no! Did Snowball get in and break something else?” The panic in her voice made him wince.

“No… no worries about that. She’s sleeping on my cot, but I don’t want her to get hurt should she get up and break something.” There - he’d set the record straight.

“I’ll be right over. I’m so sorry… and thank you for being so understanding.” 

Gold snapped his phone shut. Well that went well. Belle would be over immediately and he’d gently explain the need for her to keep Snowball out of his shop. It was for the cat’s own good after all. He kept vigil over the animal until he heard the bell above his door tinkle. “I’m in the back, Miss French,” he called out.

He heard her heels clacking as she made her way to him. 

“I’m so sorry again, Mr. Gold,” she said as she entered. “This is so unlike her. I told you how she always avoids people.” And then she smiled and Gold’s heart fluttered. “I was right the last time this happened - she really likes you. That says a lot about you.” Her smile widened and Gold felt as though he was in a dream.

Belle approached Snowball and leaned down to kiss her head. Gold’s eyes went where he knew they shouldn’t. 

“You’ve been naughty again, sweetheart,” Belle cooed. “And you’re shedding all over Mr. Gold’s cot.” Belle straightened herself and looked back at Gold. 

Gold quickly lifted his eyes to meet hers. “Her fur is rather persistent once it attaches itself to something… not unlike her.” 

Belle giggled. Mr. Gold had a way of making her laugh. “You mean her floof.”

Gold looked puzzled. “Her what?”

“Her floof. It’s so much more than fur. It’s so long and soft and silky that it makes you want to run your fingers through it,” Belle explained. And then, before she could contemplate it too deeply, she decided to be brave. “It’s like your hair - I wouldn’t call it hair, I’d call it floof.”

Gold stared at her and then chuckled. “My hair is floof?”

“Yes, definitely.” She giggled again.

“So that’s the way you would describe anyone with longer hair?” He questioned, still puzzled by the term.

“Oh, no… the hair has to have a certain texture and shine and tempting quality to pass the floof test.”

Gold laughed. “And if I cut my hair? Would it no longer be floof?” 

“If it was very short, I’d refer to it as fluff. I don’t think you could ever have just plain hair.” Belle’s cheeks turned a soft pink as she nibbled on her lower lip.

“Meow! Meow!” 

Belle laughed. “I think Snowball’s jealous. She’s very proud of her floof and doesn’t like competition.” She paused. “Well, I think I’d better let you get back to work.”

She gathered Snowball in her arms. “I hope she doesn’t bother you again. I’m just not sure how to stop her.”

“It’s not your fault or hers,” Gold heard himself saying. “My customers insist on letting her in when they enter the shop. Perhaps I’ll have to hang a sign on the door asking them not to let the cat in.” 

“That might work,” Belle conceded. “Thank you again, Mr. Gold. Please let me know if I can pay for any drycleaning bills. It would be a shame to have Snowball’s floof ruining your beautiful suits.”

“No need, Miss French. I’ll be careful not to sit on the cot without vacuuming first.” Gold knew that vacuuming would do no good. That darn floof stuck like glue. It would be near impossible to get rid of it.

He listened until he heard the shop door shut and then turned his attention to the cot and Snowball’s floof, er, fur. That had to be one of the most inane conversations he’d ever had and yet he’d enjoyed every minute of it. He thought back to what Belle had said about floof - long, soft, silky and makes you want to run your fingers through it. Gold almost choked. Had Belle been flirting with him when she referred to his hair as floof? He pictured her combing her fingers through his hair and massaging his scalp. He fell into a bit of a daze until a strange purring sound got his attention. He looked around and then realized that he had been making that sound - he had been purring. This was ridiculous. Miss French had not been flirting with him and she most definitely had no desire to run her luscious fingers through his hair. She was sweet, beautiful and much too young for him. He tried to concentrate on something else, but try as he might, he could not rid himself of the image of Belle with her fingers entangled in his hair.


	7. G is for Gaston and Girls' Night Out

Gold was not sure what he had expected. He’d known from the very beginning that Belle French was too good for the likes of him. How had he allowed himself to be so foolish? As much as he’d tried to deny it, he’d been harboring a secret crush on her for some time now. Why else was he feeling so dejected. Of course Miss French was dating. A woman as perfect as she was had her pick of any man she wanted. The fact that she had chosen Gaston LaFleur made it very clear to him that he had never and would never have a chance with her. The man was everything he was not - tall, strong and fit, handsome, young, muscular… and, if he were to be honest, a bit obtuse. That was the one thing that puzzled him. Belle was one of the brightest and most intelligent people he had ever met. He wondered if Mr. LaFleur had ever even opened a book. Perhaps there was more to the man than he’d given him credit for. 

Gold swished the amber liquid around in his glass and then finished it off with one long swig. He beckoned to the bartender to give him a refill. He really must be desperate to be sitting at the bar in the Rabbit Hole. It usually pained him just to enter the vile place to collect the rent.

“Mr. Gold?” 

That did it. Now he was hearing her voice.

“Are you OK, Mr. Gold?”

Gold looked up from his drink to clear his head of Belle French only to find himself face to face with the woman herself.

“Uh… M-Miss French,” he stammered, “w-what are you doing here?” 

“I’m here having a girl’s night out with Ruby and Mary Margaret. Ruby loves coming here.” Her smile assured him that she had not taken offense at his question. “I’m surprised to see you here,” she whispered into his ear, an action that sent a shiver of pleasure down his spine. “I didn’t think this was your type of establishment.” 

Gold managed to fight the alcohol that was clouding his brain. “It’s not,” he confessed. “I only come here to remind myself why I don’t come here.”

Belle giggled. “Well, I’m happy that I bumped into you. I thought you were on your way to the library when I waved to you this afternoon, but then you disappeared.”

Gold had almost forgotten why he was really here. “I didn’t want to interrupt you and your beau. You appeared to be sharing a private moment.”

“My beau?” Belle looked confused. “You’re not talking about Gaston, are you?”

Gold suddenly felt uncertain. Had he misinterpreted something he’d seen? “Well, yes. You and Mr. LaFleur seemed to be involved in a rather intimate embrace.”

Belle giggled. “I’m not dating Gaston, Mr. Gold.”

“You’re not?” Gold couldn’t keep the hope from creeping into his voice.

“I was congratulating him on his engagement to his college sweetheart. Gaston and I have known each other since we were born. Our parents were friends so they always hoped we’d end up together, but it wasn’t meant to be.” Then she whispered again, “He’s a little too superficial for me. I prefer someone with a lot of layers. To me love is a mystery to be uncovered.” Her eyes met his as she spoke.

“Ah...” Gold could not help the joy that sprang into his chest. Even though he knew that Belle could never be his, he was elated that she was not with Gaston.

“In fact,” Belle decided to take the opportunity to make her situation crystal clear, “I’m not dating anyone right now.” She rested her hand lightly on his forearm causing another wave of pleasure to course through him.

“Well then,” Gold replied as he stared at her hand, “the men in this town must all be very foolish.” 

Belle sighed. This was not going to be easy. “I’m not one to date casually. When the right person comes along, I’ll know it. I want someone who challenges me and also makes me feel special.” 

How Gold wished he could be that person. He knew now that he’d do anything for her. It was no use denying his feelings even though he knew they would never be reciprocated.

“There you are!” Ruby interrupted them to address Belle. “Hello, Mr. Gold,” she added. There was a knowing smirk on her face that he found disconcerting.

“Miss Lucas.” He made sure that his tone was clipped and cold. 

“Sorry, Ruby. I’ll join you in a minute. Order me a blackberry bourbon sangria.” Belle gave Ruby a warning look.

“OK, Belles. Will do. But don’t rush back on my account. I’m sure Mary Margaret and I can keep ourselves occupied.” The smirk on her face grew.

Belle turned to Gold. “Sorry about that. I should get back to them. I just wanted to ask you if you needed me to help you with any other research. I thought that might be why you were heading to the library earlier.”

“I was actually coming by to thank you for all of your help. The maps ended up being a goldmine of information.” He couldn’t disguise the smug smile that appeared on his face when he thought about the mayor’s reaction to the info he had uncovered. 

“That’s not necessary, Mr. Gold. I enjoyed it and it was the least I could do after what Snowball did to your cup,” Belle reminded him. Then she bit her lip. “There is something I was hoping you could help me with. I can show you if you stop by the library tomorrow. Maybe we can make another deal.”

An excuse to see Belle and to make another deal? Gold knew he was a goner. “I’m intrigued, Miss French.”

Belle giggled. Of course Mr. Gold could not resist a deal. “Should I expect you tomorrow morning then?”

“I’ll be there.” He smiled at her.

“Well…,” she paused as though she wanted to say more but had decided against it, “ I should get going.”

“Yes… enjoy your evening with your friends and your blackberry bourbon sangria.” 

“Thank you! I will!” Belle was pleased that he had taken note of her drink order. “Enjoy your…”

“Scotch,” Gold provided for her.

Belle smiled. It wasn’t much, but at least she now knew what he liked to drink. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Gold tried not to stare after her as she walked away, but it was a losing battle. Those high heels, shapely legs and short flattering blue dress… well, they were too much to resist. When he finally turned back to his drink, he could feel the bartender’s eyes on him.

Gold gulped down his scotch to help erase the smile that seemed to be plastered to his face. He needed to get out of there before he did or said something he regretted. He slapped a large bill on the counter. “This should cover my drinks and a round for Miss French and her friends. The rest is for you.” 

The bartender appeared to be stunned. “Yes, Mr. Gold.” He paused. “Are you OK? Do you need any help getting home?”

Gold chuckled to himself. Evidently the bartender thought he was drunk. “And this is between you and me only. Do we understand each other, Mr. Aesop?” Gold glared at him.

The bartender gulped. “Of course, sir.” 

“Good.” Gold flashed his best barracuda smile for added emphasis before grabbing his cane and exiting the premises.

Aesop did not know what had come over the pawnbroker. He’d only been in Storybrooke a few months, but he knew enough about Mr. Gold to recognize that this behavior was unusual for him. He stored the knowledge away to ponder later. He prided himself on his discretion so it would be no problem keeping Gold’s confidence.

He delivered the drinks to the table where Belle, Ruby and Mary Margaret were seated. “These drinks are courtesy of a certain gentleman who wishes to remain anonymous.” Aesop backed away quickly before they could question him.

“I wonder who sent us drinks?” Mary Margaret whispered. She refused to peruse the bar. Being a married woman, she didn’t want to inadvertently make eye contact with anyone.

“I bet I know.” Ruby was staring at Belle with a wide smile on her face.

“Who?” Mary Margaret questioned.

“You’ll have to ask Belle.”

Mary Margaret looked at her friend.

“I really don’t know,” Belle tried to state as matter-of-factly as possible, “but it could be Mr. Gold. He was talking to me earlier about some research I did for him and the drinks are probably his way of saying thank you.” 

“Yes, I’m sure that’s it,” Ruby said while rolling her eyes.

“How strange!” Mary Margaret exclaimed and Belle was grateful that her friend had not picked up on the undercurrent between her and Ruby. “He also gave me a very good deal on a gift I bought for David the other day which was totally unlike him and… and I think he owns a cat.” 

“That was Belle’s cat, Snowball,” Ruby informed her. “Evidently she’s taken a liking to Mr. Gold.” Ruby grinned at Belle whose eyes were shooting daggers at her.

“Well, let’s make a toast!” Ruby knew when she had gone far enough. “To fun, friendship and to whatever it is that’s making Mr. Gold so agreeable - may it continue to blossom!”

“I love you!” Ruby mouthed to Belle who was planning to strangle her friend as soon as she got the chance.


	8. H is Heels, Hey, Her Handsome Hero, Hamburger and Hug

As Gold approached the entrance to the Storybrooke Library, he reminded himself why he was there. His personal feelings for Miss French notwithstanding, his sole reason for visiting the library at this early hour, was to make a deal. Thoughts of how her warm breath caressed his skin as she whispered into his ear or memories of her gentle touch on his arm could serve no useful purpose. He stopped a minute to compose himself, and once satisfied that he’d banished all extraneous thoughts from his brain, he clutched his cane tightly and entered the building.

After his eyes adjusted to the inside light, he saw Miss French reaching up for a book that was just out of her grasp. Even with the treacherously high heels that she was wearing (which he had to berate himself for noticing), she was still having difficulty retrieving the volume. Doing his best to ignore both the heels and the extra amount of leg that she was exposing, he set out to assist her. 

“Let me help you, Miss French,” Gold offered as he came up behind her.

Belle, having been too absorbed in her task to notice the tapping of his cane as he approached her, let out a tiny squeak, tottered on her heels, and fell back against him. Gold instinctively wrapped his arms around her to help her regain her balance. For several seconds they stood there not moving, their bodies molded together perfectly. When she looked up, her blue eyes met his. “Hey,” she greeted him shyly.

“Hey,” Gold replied in return. They continued to stare at each other until Gold realized that he was still holding her. He quickly removed his arms from her person and took a step back, leaning on his cane to restore his own balance.

“Forgive me, Miss French. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized, hoping that she had not taken offense to his closeness.

“That was all my fault. Thank you for catching me, Mr. Gold. I’m a little clumsy at times.” She smiled at him with such sincerity that he almost forgave himself. “Would you mind?” She pointed to the book that she had been trying to retrieve.

Gold was happy to oblige, grateful for something to distract him from thoughts of her soft, warm body pressed against his. He easily reached the book in question and handed it to her. “I believe you had something you wanted to show me.” He took the opportunity to direct the subject back to their imminent deal.

“Yes. I have some books in my office that I’d like you to see.” She beckoned for him to follow her to a nearby door. “I think the books may be of value and I wanted to get your opinion on them.”

She pointed to a shelf that contained at least 20 leather-bound books of varying sizes. Some looked almost new, while others were in less than pristine condition.

“May I?” Gold asked before removing one of the books from the shelf.

“Please do. I was hoping you’d be able to assess them and possibly help me find a buyer for them.”

Gold looked at her with a question in his eyes.

Belle explained further, “I think they may be of interest to a collector, but I’m not so sure they make sense for our library. I would use any money we made from selling them to improve our computer resources. That’s what people seem to be looking for more than books. I’m trying to find ways to keep the library relevant for everyone. Make it more of a community gathering place.”

“Ah… I see.” Gold selected one of the books and carefully inspected it. “Does it bother you that there aren’t as many book lovers here in Storybrooke as you would like?”

“I figured that if I can get them into the library I may be able to convert a few.” She grinned at him. “Are you a book lover, Mr. Gold?”

Gold chuckled. “Is that what this is all about? You luring me here with the promise of a deal when you’re really trying to gain another convert?”

Belle giggled. “Well… there’s no reason why I can’t do both at the same time. Do I need to convert you?” 

“I’m afraid to disappoint you, Miss French. I do love books - I’m both a collector and a reader.” He smiled at her while removing another book for inspection. “And I’m very interested in reviewing these volumes in more detail. They look very promising.”

“Oh! That’s wonderful news! I hope they have some value.” She beamed at him. “And I would never be disappointed to meet another book lover. That’s wonderful news too!” Belle gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Gold couldn’t hide his delight at having pleased her. Being in the presence of the lovely Miss French was proving to be much more distracting than he’d anticipated. He forced himself back to the business at hand.

“Would you allow me to ‘borrow’ these books so to speak?” I’ll need some time to evaluate them properly. I can send Mr. Dove over to collect them if you agree.”

“Of course! That’s perfect! I can pack them so that they’ll be ready for him.”

“Excellent. And now, Miss French, it’s time to discuss your end of the deal.” 

Belle noticed how his smile became almost predatory as he spoke, but rather than alarming her, it sent an unexpected shiver of excitement down her spine. Her voice wavered as she replied, but it was not from fear of what he’d ask her to do. “Did you have something in mind, Mr. Gold?” She chewed on her bottom lip as she looked to him for a reply.

For a brief second, Gold’s mind went to a place it didn’t belong. This definitely would not do. He needed to keep things as business-like as possible. “No worries, Miss French.” He softened his smile. “If you’d be willing to come by my shop later, I have something that I’d like to pass by you. I think you may be able to be of great assistance to me.”

It was Belle’s turn to be intrigued. She was very curious as to how she could assist him. “I can come by at noon when I break for lunch if that works for you.”

“Yes, that would work quite well. I’ll send Mr. Dove by in the meantime to retrieve the books.” He paused to clear his throat. “Very well then.” He nodded his head to her, indicating that he was about to depart.

“Good-bye, Mr. Gold. I’ll see you at noon.” Belle watched him leave as she thought about his love for collecting and reading books. She was extremely pleased with this new piece of information about the man. Now she just needed to find out what types of books he liked to read. That would reveal so much more about him.

__________________________________________________________________________

Gold felt relieved when the hands on his clock approached noon. He’d spent much too much time that morning daydreaming about Miss French and the way it had felt to hold her in his arms. He had to keep reminding himself that it had only been to steady her when she’d stumbled. He decided that those heels she wore were dangerous - not only to her, but to his own mental health. 

He glanced out of his window just as she was exiting the library. His eyes followed her as she crossed the street and entered his shop. 

“Hey…” She smiled at him as she said it and a slight blush rose to her cheeks.

Her greeting brought him right back to the moment he was trying to forget. “Hey... er, um, Miss French.” He struggled to maintain some semblance of formality. “I suppose we should get down to business. I know you’re on a lunch break.” There, that was better.

“Yes, Mr. Gold.” Belle noted his nervousness and had to bite her tongue to keep from giggling. Maybe she was having more of an effect on him than she’d originally thought. “You have something you wanted to show me?” 

“Yes, I do.” He felt steadier now that they were back to discussing their deal. He bent down to retrieve a large leather ledger from under the counter. “Come. Please take a look.” He opened it to reveal very neat rows of exquisite handwriting. “This is where I record my purchases and sales. Everything else about my business is in my head.”

Belle gasped. “How? How can you possibly keep track of everything? You have no other catalog of the items in your shop?” A slew of questions about advertising, marketing, an online presence and more were passing through her brain.

Gold smiled sheepishly. He suddenly felt embarrassed by his lack of knowledge regarding any modern technology. “This is why I’d like to enlist your help. When you mentioned wanting to improve the computer resources for the library, I thought that you might be able to recommend the best way to go about automating my business. I’d venture to guess that there are many similarities between cataloging books and antiques.”

“I’d love to help! I already have a million ideas!” 

Belle’s enthusiasm assured Gold that he’d made the right decision in asking her. “So do we have a deal, Miss French? I assess and find a purchaser for your books and you help me find my way into the 21st century?”

Belle giggled. His way of phrasing things always made her laugh. “Yes! We have a deal.” Belle’s smile lit up the whole shop as she shook his extended hand. “I’ll need a few days to do some research and then we can meet to go over everything together.”

“Very good,” Gold replied, while his mind, against his will, savored the thought of spending more time with the lovely librarian.

“There is one other thing I wanted to ask you.” She reached into her handbag and removed a rather worn leather book from it. “This is my favorite book of all time. My mom used to read it to me when I was a little girl and I’ve always treasured it.” She handed it to Gold.

“Her Handsome Hero…” Gold read the title aloud.

“Yes,” Belle continued. “I’ve been trying to find a copy for the library, but it’s out of print and I can’t find it anywhere. I thought you might have a way to track it down.” Her voice was hopeful.

“I can certainly try, Miss French. I’m rather good at procuring items that are near impossible to find. It’s one of my specialties.” He grinned at her and his gold tooth gleamed in the light. “We’ll consider this part of our current deal.”

“That would be wonderful! I really appreciate it!” She paused and smiled at him. “Do you like hamburgers, Mr. Gold?”

Gold looked puzzled by this sudden change of topic. “Yes... I do…” 

“Then I’d like to treat you to a hamburger at Granny’s for adding this to our deal. Maybe some night next week?”

“I would like that, Miss French.” He knew this was a bad idea, but as usual, he could not find it in himself to refuse her. 

“I look forward to it!” Belle was thrilled. She had a date with Mr. Gold! Well, not really a date, but she would be having hamburgers with him at Granny’s. That was a step in the right direction.

“As do I,” he agreed. 

Then, before he knew what was happening, he found himself enfolded in her embrace. “Thank you again, Mr. Gold!” 

Due to the element of surprise, and once again against his will, his arms embraced her in return.

The bell over the door tinkled and Dove entered carrying the box of books that Belle had packed. Gold quickly dropped his arms to his side. Belle, however, was in no rush to end their hug. 

“Raymond, thank you for doing this.” She finally let go of Gold as she turned her attention to Dove.

“You’re welcome, Miss Belle,” he replied, a blush rising to his face.

After a short exchange about the books, Belle said her good-byes to both of them. “I’ll be in touch, Mr. Gold.” She smiled and waved as she exited the shop.

Dove, with the stoic expression on his face marred only by the slightest upturn of his lip, stood silently before Gold.

“Don’t you have more deliveries to make?” Gold snapped.   
“Yes, sir. If there’s nothing else, sir.” 

“No, there’s nothing else.” Gold’s dismissed him with a piercing glare.

Dove nodded in reply and then exited the shop with a satisfied smile on his face.


	9. I is for Inbox, Intimacy, and I.M.P.

Gold gulped down the last of his scotch and clicked the send button on his final email for the night. This was unusual for him. He normally considered his bedroom to be his sanctuary, the one place where he could cast off the masks and dealings and posturings of Mr. Gold. If he hadn’t been following through on a lead for Belle’s books, he would never be sitting in bed with his back against his pillows and his laptop resting on his thighs. This lead, however, had been too good to leave waiting for tomorrow so he’d made an exception. And his intuition had paid off. There would be some very good news to share with Miss French the following day.

As he was closing his laptop, he heard the familiar ring indicating that another email had arrived in his inbox. He debated ignoring it, but concerned that it might be important to this deal, he resigned himself to taking one last look.

To his surprise, the sender was booklover816@gmail.com. He immediately felt his heartbeat quicken. He’d received several emails from Miss French when she was researching Storybrooke for him, but those had come during the day and were expected. He was not expecting an email from her and certainly not at this late hour. 

He opened it without hesitating.

“Are you awake, Mr. Gold?” His heart beat faster. There was something intimate about the message or maybe it was just that he was reading an email from Miss French while in bed and dressed in nothing but his pajamas.

It took him a minute to decide how to respond, his thoughts refusing to cooperate with him. He finally decided to reply with a simple “Yes.”

In less than a minute, another email arrived in his inbox. “I’m sorry to bother you so late, Mr. Gold, but I have some good news that I wanted to share. I found a software program that will be perfect for your business. It’s called I.M.P. and I can review it with you tomorrow if that’s convenient for you. Since it’s Saturday, I get off from work at 1:00 pm and can come by the shop if you’d like.”

‘I.M.P.?’ Gold had to repeat it to himself to make sure he’d read it correctly. Despite his reservations based on the name alone, he knew that it must be a good fit if Belle was recommending it. “I’d like that very much, Miss French. I may also have some good news to share with you at that time.” 

“Perfect! I can’t wait to show you the program and to hear your news too! Good night and sweet dreams!” The message was then punctuated with a sleeping smiley face that had a cloud with another smiley face in it. Gold had to chuckle. He could picture Belle giggling, knowing that she was teasing him by including a smiley face in her message. 

“Sweet Dreams to you also, Miss French. Until tomorrow.” He typed out his last message and sent it. After watching his inbox for several more minutes, he closed down his computer and settled into bed. He didn’t expect to sleep much with so many thoughts of Miss French swirling through his mind, so he was shocked when he next opened his eyes to the morning light. He’d had one of the best nights of sleep he could remember. His body was warm and relaxed and hugging his pillow close. He remembered now that all night he’d dreamt that he’d been holding Belle. His first reaction was to groan and push the pillow away. He’d tried so hard to keep his feelings for Miss French under control. How had he allowed himself to get to this point?

He knew he should get up. It was the best way to erase these thoughts from his mind. But part of him wanted to savor the comfort his dreams had brought him. As attracted as he was to Miss French, his dreams had thankfully remained G-rated. They’d been all about intimacy, but it was the intimacy of feeling safe with another person, something he had not felt in a very, very long time.

He allowed himself to relish the feelings of well-being that his dreams had engendered for a while longer before finally forcing himself out of bed to prepare for the day.

_________________________________________________________________________

“I.M.P. - Inventory Management Platform,” Belle explained to Mr. Gold. “It’s the perfect software for everything you need.” She clicked on the link that opened the online demonstration.

A tiny glittery gold man creature dressed in a flowing shirt and leather vest, pants and boots appeared on the screen. His body was curved rather gracefully and he had one hand extended in a dramatic wave. 

“What, may I ask, is that supposed to be?” Gold questioned, both his face and tone betraying his utter distaste.

“That’s their logo,” Belle giggled. “I guess it’s an Imp for I.M.P.”

“I’m not **imp**ressed,” Gold replied.

Belle laughed and Gold grinned. She was the only person who truly appreciated his humor.

“Well, I think you will be impressed by the software, Mr. Gold. Let me show you.” Belle turned to the screen and began the online demonstration. When the short feature was completed, Belle enthusiastically began to outline all the ways the system could be used to automate Gold’s business - from inventory to purchasing to sales to accounting to marketing to an online site, and everything else in between.

She took a deep breath when she was done and smiled her widest smile at him. “What do you think?”

Gold laughed. “I think you make an excellent salesperson. Remind me to be careful when making a deal with you.” His lips turned up into a crooked smile that made Belle’s heart flutter.

Belle playfully shouldered him in protest. Then she attempted to hide her laughter by rather unsuccessfully pursing her lips. “Well?”

Gold laughed while noting the warmth that was spreading through his body after that very brief physical contact with her. “Very well, Miss French. I agree with you. The product appears to be a perfect fit. Thank you.”

“I’m so glad you agree! If you want to complete the purchase today, we can start using the software tomorrow. I’ll be available all day to help.” Her eyes met his.

“I, uh, yes…” Gold stumbled over his response. He didn’t know if he was overwhelmed by the reality of finally automating his business or spending more time with Belle French.

Belle seemed to sense his uncertainty. “I know it seems like a lot, Mr. Gold, but I promise that it will be much simpler than you think once we get started.” She placed her hand on his arm in reassurance.

It took all of Gold’s willpower to ignore her hand and get back to business. He was sure Belle had more important and interesting things to do than to spend her day coddling him. “I’ll take care of the paperwork today so that we’ll be ready to move forward tomorrow.”

“Great! Do you want to meet at 10:00 am? We can begin by concentrating on inventory since that will be the backbone of the whole system.”

“That sounds like an excellent plan.” He smiled at her. “Now I hope I can fulfill my end of our deal as well as you have yours.” He paused. “I’ve finished my assessment of the books, and with the right buyers, they can yield a value of up to $10,000.”

“What?” Belle was shocked. “$10,000? I was hoping we’d make maybe $2,000. I can’t believe it!”

Gold chuckled. “It appears that recognizing valuable rare books is one of your many talents, Miss French. You uncovered quite a valuable collection.”

“That’s amazing! I’ll be able to do so much with that money.” Belle smiled from ear to ear. “Do you think you’ll be able to find the right buyers?” Her smile faded slightly.

“That’s actually the good news I referred to last night in my email. I have a buyer lined up for the 2 most valuable books in the lot. That sale in itself will yield $5,000.”

“That’s great news! Thank you so much, Mr. Gold!” 

“That’s not all,” Gold continued. “I’ve decided to purchase the remaining books - two for my personal collection and the rest to be added to my inventory.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to thank you!” Belle exclaimed while taking his hand and squeezing it. “I wasn’t expecting any of this.”

Gold became temporarily tongue-tied as he relished the feel of her small hand in his. He couldn’t help but notice that even their hands seemed to fit together perfectly. He had to reprimand himself for letting his thoughts stray before he could respond.

“No need to thank me, Miss French. I’m simply fulfilling my end of our deal. I’m happy to see that it appears to be to your satisfaction.”

Belle was not about to let him get off that easily. “You’re way too modest, Mr. Gold. I think you’ve gone above and beyond by purchasing so many of the books yourself. I just want you to know that I really appreciate it.” This time she placed her hand on his upper arm.

Gold knew he was a goner. Belle was too sharp and too persistent be fooled by his posturing. “It’s my pleasure. I just hope I can locate a copy of ‘Her Handsome Hero’ for you. It’s proving to be more difficult than I originally thought.”

“I appreciate anything you can do to try to locate it. I understand that it may not be possible.” Belle was pleased that he’d let his mask drop a little. She smiled at him and bit her lower lip. “Well, I suppose I should get going and leave you to finish up with the paperwork for I.M.P.” She rose from her chair.

Gold rose with her. “Ah… yes. I’ll make sure to take care of it.”

He retrieved his cane and walked her to the door. 

“I’ll see you in the morning, Mr. Gold. Have a good night.”

“You too, Miss French.” He closed the door behind her and sighed. He wondered where his dreams would lead him tonight.


	10. J is for Jelly Doughnuts, Jewelry and Jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for your kudos and comments and for continuing to follow this verse! - I'm having fun writing it. I'm sorry for not replying to your comments individually, but I want you to know that I appreciate all of them. Thank you!

“_Two_ jelly doughnuts and _two_ coffees?”

Belle pretended to ignore what Ruby was insinuating. “Yes, they’re for me and Mr. Gold. I’m helping him with a software installation - it’s part of a deal I made with him. He’s selling some books for the library and I’m helping him with a computer business application.”

Ruby smirked. “Let me know when you get to the hardware part of the installation.” 

“Ruby!” Belle reprimanded while looking around to see if anyone else in the diner had heard her friend. When she felt assured that the coast was clear, she laughed. “I’m not sure we’ll ever get to that point. It’s going to be a very slow process.”

“Well, you don’t have to wait for him to make the first move. Why don’t you just ask him out?

“I don’t want to scare him off. I need to make sure that anything that happens is what he wants too.”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “I can assure you that he wants the same things you do. It’s obvious to everyone but the two of you.”

“We’ll see,” Belle replied as neutrally as she could. “Listen, I have to go. I told him I’d be there at 10:00 am and I don’t want to be late. He’s a bit of a stickler for punctuality.”

“No kidding,” Ruby laughed. “I’ve never seen anyone as precise about everything as he is. He needs someone like you to mix things up a bit.”

“Bye, Ruby.” Belle cut her off before she could say anything else. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

__________________________________________________________________

Gold fixed his tie for the 10th time that morning. The utter sense of relaxation he’d felt after another night dreaming of holding Belle French was gone. Now he was a bundle of nerves as he awaited her arrival. 

The bell over the front door tinkled just as the clock struck 10. Belle caught his eye as she entered. “Hey.” She smiled at him and his nerves rolled away.

“Hey,” he answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“I brought us a treat.” She held up the coffees and the bag of doughnuts. “A little something to help us tackle your inventory.”

“Very good, Miss French.” Gold’s stomach gurgled as if on queue. He grinned at her. “I think that’s an excellent idea for both my stomach and the inventory.”

Belle giggled. 

“I’ll just lock up and then we can retire to the backroom to get started,” he explained as he made is way to the front door. Once he’d turned the sign to closed and locked the door he gestured for her to follow him to the back.

The counter that had been cluttered with unfinished projects was now cleared off. Only his laptop remained. Belle set the coffees down and opened the bag. “I hope you like jelly doughnuts,” she said while retrieving one for each of them. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever had one,” Gold admitted without mentioning that he found them to be too messy for his taste.

Belle was shocked. “Really? Granny’s are my favorite. I love the way she makes them with powdered sugar on the outside and the perfect amount of jelly on the inside - it’s a raspberry jam so it’s not too sweet.”

Gold eyed the doughnut in front of him, trying to determine the best way to tackle it without getting powdered sugar and sticky filling all over himself.

Belle had no such qualms and bit into her doughnut without hesitating. “Mmmmm…. It’s delicious,” she said with her mouth full. “You have to try it.”

Gold gingerly lifted the doughnut with his thumb and index finger. He leaned over the counter and took a bite. 

Belle watched him while he chewed and swallowed. 

“Am I right?” she asked.

He lifted his eyes to her just as she was licking the powdered sugar from her lips. His eyes lingered on her lips and the tiny speck of jelly at the corner of her mouth. The smile that appeared on her face reminded him that he had not answered her question. “You’re right. It is delicious.” His eyes shifted back to the speck of jelly.

“I’m glad you like it.” She bit her lower lip. “I suppose we should start discussing strategy for recording your inventory while we’re eating.”

Gold quickly raised his eyes to meet hers. He hoped she hadn’t noticed him staring. He cleared his throat. “Yes,” was all he managed to utter.  
“OK then.” Belle knew she had to take the lead. “I was thinking about this last night and since we have to take photos of everything we record, it would make the most sense to take a bunch of photos and upload them before going back and filling out the forms for each item.” She took another bite of her doughnut as she looked to Gold for his response.

It took all of Gold’s effort to look away from the way the powdered sugar was clinging to her lips. Belle was here to help him with this new software, nothing else. He was appalled at his own lack of focus and control. He gathered his wits and replied. “Excellent plan, Miss French. May I suggest that we start with jewelry? It’s probably more organized than the other items in my shop.” He grinned at her.

Belle giggled. She could see that the shop was jam-packed with items. Getting everything organized was no doubt going to be a daunting task, but one she was looking forward to.

Gold’s smile deepened. “I promise that I know where everything is. Let’s finish up here and then we’ll get started.”

Belle agreed as she smiled back at him and took another bite. Gold allowed himself to relax and took another bite too. There was no doubt in his mind that eating jelly doughnuts with her would probably be the most difficult part of his day.

__________________________________________________________________

“This is beautiful!” Belle lovingly caressed the exquisite gold book locket. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Gold’s heart clenched as he watched Belle admiring the antique necklace. She’d oohed and aahed over every piece of jewelry they’d photographed, but this was different. He could see that the locket had captured her attention in a way that nothing else had.

“It is exquisite, isn’t it? It’s a very lovely piece of Victorian jewelry. Please open it and take a better look.”

Belle looked at him and then very carefully undid the clasp. The inside was completely unexpected. Instead of containing two slots for photos it folded out to reveal 4 tiny frames that were like the pages of a book. Belle could feel her heart pounding. She knew she wanted the necklace, but she also knew that there was no way she could afford it. “It’s remarkable, Mr. Gold. I hope you find the perfect buyer for it.” Belle did not want just anyone to have it. The person needed to love books the way she did and also needed to possess a very special photo to hold close to their heart like she did of her mom.

Gold could also feel his own heart pounding as he watched her. He knew right then and there that there was no perfect buyer for this exquisite piece of jewelry. The necklace belonged to one person only and she was sitting in front of him. If it were up to him, he’d be placing the necklace around her neck at this very moment. The problem was that there was no way Belle would accept such an expensive gift from him. And he could not think of any way that would make such a gift from him appropriate in her eyes. 

He suddenly realized that she was staring at him as if in anticipation of an answer. He paused a moment before responding. “I can assure you, Miss French, that this item will end up with its rightful owner,” he answered truthfully as the solution came to him. He would find a way to make the necklace part of a deal with her. Yes, of course that was it. As pleased as he was with himself, he couldn’t help but question why making a deal had not been his first thought. But he already knew the answer to that. He just didn’t want to admit it to himself.

“I’m glad.” Belle placed the necklace down so that they could photograph it. Then she smiled at him. “I knew you would make sure all of your items went to the right buyers.”

“Yes.” While they held each other’s gaze Gold decided that there was not one piece of jewelry in his shop more beautiful than Belle’s blue eyes.

______________________________________________________________________

“Why don’t _you_ try now?” Belle moved the laptop closer to Gold. They’d finished photographing a reasonable amount of jewelry and had uploaded the photos. They were now entering the information about each item into the inventory screens. Belle had already recorded several with the help of Gold’s ledgers and his own personal knowledge. 

Gold’s nerves returned. It’s not that he was completely helpless with computers. He did manage to use email and google a piece of info on occasion. It’s just that he felt so out of his element with modern technology. As useful as it could be, he still felt more comfortable doing things the old way. 

As if sensing his discomfort, Belle placed her hand over his. “I think you’re overthinking this. You’ll see how simple it is once you do it.”

The warmth of her touch calmed his nerves immediately. He began to enter the required data for the first item into the screen, occasionally adding optional anecdotal data. When he finished and hit the save button, a high-pitched giggle sounded from the computer as an animated version of the software’s imp logo appeared on the screen. The character bounced his way over to the required ‘Purchase Price’ field that had been accidentally left blank. “All inventory comes with a price!” the imp chanted in an annoying sing-song voice.

“What the?” Gold cursed under his breath.

Belle giggled. “That must be the virtual assistant for the software. If you make a mistake he pops up to help you correct it. He’s telling you that you need to enter a purchase price before you can save the screen.”

Gold grumbled, but made the correction. The imp disappeared from the screen and Gold went onto the next item. Before he hit the save button, he checked to make sure the ‘Purchase Price’ had been entered. “All set.” He smiled at Belle and hit the button. The same irritating giggle erupted from the screen.

“Oh, dearie, dearie, dear!” The imp pranced over to the ‘Index’ field.

Gold was not amused. “Don’t dearie me,” he growled.

Belle burst out laughing. “I guess he’s pretty clever. He’s pointing out that you indexed a necklace under bracelets by mistake.”

“Well, then he’s smarter than he looks,” Gold begrudgingly admitted.

Belle bit her tongue to keep from laughing again. “I think he’s pretty cute.”

Gold eyed her. “Cute?”

Belle giggled. “I think there’s probably a way to turn off the virtual assistant if you don’t think he’s helpful.”

“I’m willing to muddle along without him,” Gold eagerly replied. 

“Well, I’ll do a little online research to see what we can do when I get a chance.”

“Thank you, Miss French.” Gold almost felt guilty for making her do more work. Not to mention the fact that she seemed to like the annoying little creature.

They spent the next hour cataloging the jewelry they had photographed with only a few interruptions from the imp. 

“Are you free for hamburgers at Granny’s tomorrow night?” Belle asked when they were almost done. 

Gold had almost forgotten about that part of their deal. He didn’t want to hold her to having a meal with him in public. “I’m afraid I haven’t been able to locate a copy of ‘Her Handsome Hero’ for you yet,” he apologized.

“That doesn’t matter. I know that you may not be able to find a copy, but I still owe you a hamburger. After all, a deal is a deal.” She chewed on her lower lip while watching him through her eyelashes.

“Well, in that case, I’m available. I’d love to have hamburgers with you, Miss French.” He felt better now that they’d invoked their agreement. 

“Wonderful!” Belle smiled her brightest smile. “How’s seven?”

“Seven it is. I’ll meet you there.” Gold wanted to make sure that she didn’t have to suffer the rude stares that would be directed at her if she was seen arriving with him. 

“Perfect.” She placed her hand on his lower arm. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave you on your own to finish up the last few items. I’m supposed to meet my father in a few minutes.”

“I’m sure I can manage, Miss French.” He smiled at her.

Belle showed him how to log out before leaving to go. “We can discuss our next session when we meet tomorrow night.”

They said their good-byes and Gold turned back to the screen. The shop suddenly felt very lonely. He shook off the feeling and got back to work. He was extra careful to fill in all required fields. He knew he could keep that annoying imp at bay by paying close attention to what he was doing.

When the data for the last item was entered, he found the logout button Belle had pointed out to him. Before he could click on it, his finger slipped and he hit the wrong key. The imp appeared on the screen wagging its finger at him. Gold couldn’t click on the correct logout button fast enough to get rid of him. And to think Belle thought that annoying creature was cute.

God, what was he thinking? Was he jealous of an animated creature? A non-existent virtual character? How ridiculous. Of course he wasn’t. And yet, he couldn’t help feeling smug when he thought that he was the one who would be having hamburgers with Belle the following evening and that the imp would soon be toast.


	11. K is for Ketchup and Kiss

Belle took a quick look around the diner, noting that Mr. Gold had not yet arrived. She waved to Ruby and then made her way to the back corner booth.

She barely had time to slide into her seat before Ruby arrived at the table. “Why are you sitting way back here?” 

Before Belle could answer, Ruby squealed, “Don’t tell me - You have a date!”

Belle groaned and then shushed her friend. “It’s not a date. I’m meeting Mr. Gold for hamburgers. It’s part of our deal.”

“Oh my God! Who’s idea was it?”

“Ruby… calm down. It’s really not a date and it was my idea. He’s doing me an extra favor and I wanted to do something to pay him back.”

“Well, it’s close enough for me. What do you need me to do?” Ruby’s grin covered her whole face.

“Nothing!” Belle answered more sharply than she intended. “Sorry,” Belle apologized. “It’s really not a date, but I thought it would be a good way for us to get to know each other a little better. You know - baby steps.”

“Urgh!” Ruby voiced her dissatisfaction. “It’s going to take forever for the two of you to get together.” Then she smiled in a way that made Belle very nervous. “Why don’t you let me help move things along?”

“Absolutely not! You know I don’t want to spook him.”

The sudden silence that fell over the diner alerted them to the fact that Gold had arrived. They looked up at the same time to see him staring in their direction. 

“That’s my cue,” Ruby announced. “Good luck!” She started toward the front counter, purposely passing by Gold on her way there. 

“Hello, Mr. Gold,” she greeted him with the knowing look in her eyes that he detested. “Belle’s waiting for you.” Her smile was as knowing as her eyes.

“Good evening, Miss Lucas,” he answered through gritted teeth. He clutched his cane tighter as he felt the eyes of the other patrons on him. He hoped that they would get back to their meals and ignore the fact that he was heading towards Belle.

Belle, on her part, was waving to him with a wide smile on her face, a smile that made it very difficult for him to maintain his standard aloof mask.

“Hey,” she said as he approached the table.

“Hey.” His mask disappeared and a smile played at his lips. He sat down across from her, glad that he couldn’t be seen by the other patrons now that he was seated. There was no need for her to be subjected to the scrutiny of the townsfolk for having a simple meal with him.

They suddenly became shy in each other’s presence until Belle asked him how he’d made out with the software after she left the day before.

“I think I’m getting the hang of it, Miss French. I managed to avoid the imp until the very end when I accidentally hit the wrong key.”

Belle giggled. “What did he do and say?”

“He had the audacity to wag his finger in my face,” Gold stated as seriously as possible. Then he laughed. “I suppose I may be overreacting a bit. I know you like him,” he conceded.

“I think he’s cute, but,” Belle paused to chew on her lower lip, “I think you’re” she was just about to say “cuter” when Ruby interrupted them.

“Ahem.” Ruby cleared her throat.

Belle was thankful for the interruption. What had she been thinking? Mr. Gold wasn’t ready for that kind of confession.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Ruby asked.

“I’d like an iced tea,” Belle replied while looking at Gold. “It’s my favorite,” she offered as an explanation to him.

“I’ll have the same,” Gold added without taking his eyes off of Belle.

“Two iced teas,” Ruby repeated. “I’ll be right back.”

When Ruby was out of earshot, Gold returned to their conversation. “You were saying, Miss French?”

Belle felt the heat rising to her cheeks. “I, uh, I was saying that you, uh, that I think you’re right. He’s cute, but I understand how he can be annoying to you.”

Gold chuckled. Thankfully Miss French didn’t know the half of it. 

Belle continued, “I haven’t found a way to shut him down yet. It seems the company wants their logo to be front and center so the software overrides any changes you try to make to it. I’ll keep looking.”

“No worries, Miss French. If nothing else, the creature has forced me to master the software in record time.” He grinned and Belle laughed.

“Two iced teas.” Ruby placed the drinks before them. They’d been so engrossed in each other that they hadn’t noticed her. “Would you like to order or do you need more time? I wouldn’t want to interrupt anything.”

“Oh, we’re ready, Miss Lucas,” Gold replied with a snarl. “I think we’re both getting hamburgers. Is that correct, Miss French?”

“Yes.” Belle smiled at him. “Extra pickles with mine, please.”

“The same here,” Gold said without making eye contact with Ruby. Extra pickles were a matter of some contention between him and Mrs. Lucas, the proprietor.

“Oh! You two have the exact same order! Isn’t that sweet?” Ruby could feel Belle’s eyes throwing daggers at her, but chose to ignore her friend. Somebody had to help these two get over themselves. “I’ll get this right in,” she said while darting away.

“So you like extra pickles with your hamburger?” Belle tried to control the blush that was rising to her cheeks.

“Yes, I do.” There was a moment or two of awkward silence until Gold grabbed the bottle of ketchup from the table. “And ketchup too. You should try it with ketchup. It’s a condiment with magical properties.”

“Really?” Belle laughed. “What kind of magic?”

“I can guarantee you that if you smother any food that a child doesn’t like with ketchup, the food will disappear from the child’s plate… like magic.”

Belle giggled. There was something incredibly endearing to her about this dorky side to Mr. Gold. “How do you know so much about children?” Belle jokingly challenged.

For a moment Gold hesitated, as if he were unsure about what he was going to say. “As hard as it may be to believe, I was once a child myself,” he answered with an air of gravitas that made her laugh outright.

He could feel his heart pounding as he realized how close he’d come to telling her about his son, something that up to this point had been far too painful and private to share with anyone. The fact that he had even considered doing so shocked him.

“I bet you were an adorable child, especially with ketchup smeared all over your face.” Belle was pleased that she’d found a safe way to compliment him.

Belle’s words and the way she was looking at him with those big blue eyes made his heart beat even more rapidly. “I was far from adorable, Miss French, but I did love my ketchup.” He grinned at her and she giggled even as her heart melted. Of course he would deny that he was adorable, but she was glad she’d said it.

“Two hamburgers with extra pickles!” Ruby had once again arrived at their table without them noticing. She leaned over and whispered in Gold’s ear, “No extra charge for the pickles today.” Then she straightened up and grinned at both of them. “Can I get you two anything else?”

They looked at each other and then Gold spoke, “I think we’re all set for now, Miss Lucas.”

They continued to stare into each other’s eyes, neither hearing what Ruby said as she moved away.

Belle was the first to speak. “So, what was that all about? Ruby whispering in your ear?”

“She said she wasn’t charging me extra for the pickles today.” He paused and then added, “I have a rather complicated relationship with Mrs. Lucas... as I do with most people.”

Belle bit her tongue to keep from laughing. “I’ve noticed.”

Gold chuckled. The way she’d said it so matter-of-factly gave him an unexpected glimmer of hope. “And you don’t mind being seen with the town monster? You’re not concerned about how that will affect the way the townsfolk view you?”

“I can’t claim to know you very well, Mr. Gold, but you’re not a monster.” She placed her hand over his. “I like to make decisions and form my own opinions based on my personal experience.”

Gold felt the warmth seep through him at her touch and words and wanted to savor it as long as it lasted. “You may find out that they’re right.” 

“Well, you _are_ forcing me to silence the imp, so there _is_ that.” She decided to lighten the conversation. 

Gold laughed. “I told you. I _can_ be ruthless.”

Belle had no doubts about it. She knew he could be an extremely tough businessman, but she could also see that there was so much more to him. “We’ll see. You know that we’ll be spending more time together working on your new software.”

“Yes…” Gold felt both trepidation and joy at the thought. He was sure that she would eventually see who he really was, but couldn’t help but look forward to the time they would share until that day came.

From there, the discussion turned to the I.M.P. software until it gradually ended up being about books. The topic was enlightening to both of them as Gold learned about Belle’s penchant for romance, fantasy and adventure while she learned about his love for history, biography and antiques. Though none of those were a complete surprise to her, she was surprised when he mentioned that the two books he’d purchased from the library for his personal collection were tomes about alchemy and textiles. The conversation headed in other directions before she had a chance to question him further, but she guessed that both had some bearing on his interest in antiques.

“What about fiction, Mr. Gold? Do you have any favorite novels?” Belle was curious. He hadn’t mentioned any favorite works of fiction during their discussion.

“Ah…” He looked pensive for a moment or two before answering. “I’ve read all of the classics, Miss French, and my favorite stories when I was a boy were fairy tales, but I must admit that I’ve stuck to non-fiction for many years now.” Then he chuckled. “I suppose that makes me prime convert material for you.”

Belle smiled happily. “There’s nothing wrong with non-fiction, Mr. Gold, but I would be happy to recommend some works of fiction to you.”

“I’d love to hear your recommendations.” He smiled back at her.

“That’s great! I’ll get some thoughts together for the next time we meet… Oh, and I also loved fairy tales as a child and I still do.”

“Any coffee or dessert?” Ruby had appeared again as though out of thin air.

Gold looked to Belle who looked back at him.

“I don’t think I could eat another bite,” he answered her unasked question. 

“Me neither,” Belle agreed.

“I’m not used to getting so many extra pickles,” Gold added pointedly.

Belle couldn’t help giggling.

“Not even to share? You two look so cozy.” Ruby could make her point as well as Gold could.

“Thanks, Ruby, but I think we’re good.” Belle decided to take Gold’s lead and ignored her friend. 

“I suppose we should get going.” She glanced at the clock. “It’s later than I realized.”

“Indeed. I hope I didn’t take up too much of your time,” Gold said apologetically.

“Not at all! I really enjoyed our dinner and talking to you.” Belle wanted to make herself very clear. “I hope we can continue our conversation if you don’t mind walking me back to the library.”

“I was just about to offer.” Gold glanced quickly around the diner. He was happy to see that it was almost empty. He was still hesitant about Belle being seen with him. 

Belle paid the bill and allowed Gold, at his insistence, to leave what looked like a very large tip. She had to smile to herself at his generosity.

They said their good-byes to Ruby while Gold noted Granny glaring at him. He was sure that she was not happy about the pickles and even less so about his association with Miss French.

When they were finally outside the diner he sighed in relief. He hadn’t even noticed that he was so tense.

They walked slowly back to the library with Belle occasionally touching his arm as she talked to him. He would have loved to have her hook her arm with his, but banished the thought as being much too presumptuous.

When they arrived at the library they stood somewhat awkwardly at the door until Belle spoke. “I had a lovely evening. Thank you for having dinner with me.” 

“It was my pleasure, Miss French. I never enjoyed fulfilling my end of a deal so thoroughly.” He grinned at her.

Belle smiled and placed her hand on his arm. “I would love it if you’d call me ‘Belle’.

Her request took him by surprise, rendering him speechless for a moment. “I’d be honored to,” he finally responded.

“Good night, Belle.”

“Good night, Mr. Gold.” She bit down on her lower lip, as if deep in thought, and then leaned up to plant a soft kiss on his cheek before disappearing into the library.


	12. L is for Lipstick and Ladder

Gold stood frozen at the door of the library. Belle had kissed him. She had ever so gently pressed her lips to his cheek, and since that moment, everything around him seemed to be happening in slow motion. Even his heart, which he’d expect to be beating out of his chest, had come to a grinding halt. 

The sound of approaching voices, that he should have heard sooner, jolted him out of his daze. Fortunately, the parties appeared from around the corner and crossed the street in the opposite direction, saving him from an unwanted encounter, and assuring him that they had not witnessed the kiss or his reaction to it.

He clutched his cane tighter to steady himself before heading across the street to his shop. During the short walk, he berated himself for his reaction to the kiss. Belle was a very kind, affectionate young woman (young enough to be his daughter he reminded himself), and he should not be thinking about her kiss in a way in which it was not intended.

As he approached his shop, he noticed the white ball of fur that was sitting at his door.

“Shouldn’t you be home in bed?” Gold asked the cat who was now rubbing herself all over his legs.

Snowball meowed in reply before rushing into the shop ahead of him. Gold decided that he’d deal with the cat later. His goal at the moment was to focus on something other than Miss French. Yes, that was a good start. Thinking of her as Miss French rather than Belle would help him keep things in perspective.

He began to make his way to the back room, but was interrupted by a knock on his door. Gold groaned. He was in no mood to deal with the petty problems of the town residents. He thought about ignoring the knock, but knew from experience that it would be futile.

When he heard the key turn in the lock, he was relieved. Dove was the only person other than himself with a key. 

“Mr. Gold,” Dove addressed him as soon as he entered the door. “I didn’t know you were here. I have the package.” He presented a rectangular package wrapped in brown paper to the pawnbroker.

“Excellent!” Gold exclaimed. He had sent Dove out on a hunch and was delighted that it had paid off.

“Meow!” Snowball suddenly appeared from the back room, ostensibly to investigate the visitor. She rubbed against Gold’s legs again before stopping briefly to sniff Dove and to rub against one of his legs on her way to the door. Gold recalled that she was skittish around people, but obviously had no such qualms about Dove or himself.

Dove reached over to open the door for her and she hurried out. When he turned back to Gold, an annoying ghost of a smile was on his face. Gold was sure it was due to the fact that Dove had recognized Belle’s cat.

“Sir?” Dove stood there not saying more.

“Yes, Dove?” As usual, Gold was going to have the cajole the words out of him.

Dove pointed to his own cheek, the smile on his lips becoming more apparent.

Gold swore to himself. How had he not realized that the evidence of Belle’s kiss would be there on his cheek for all to see? His cheek had been tingling since her lips had touched it, though he was pretty sure that her lipstick had little to do with that.

“That will be all, Dove. Good night,” he snapped in dismissal, refusing to meet the other man’s eyes. Instead he pretended to focus his attention on the package that Dove had delivered to him.

“Yes, sir. Good night, sir.” And though Gold did not look up to acknowledge Dove’s words, he could hear the smile in his employee’s voice.

______________________________________________________________

Gold woke up with a start, his hand immediately going to his cheek, his fingers tracing the lipstick kiss that was still there. He thought back to the night before when he had spent what seemed like hours in front of the mirror staring at his own reflection. And as much as he had known that the kiss was no more than an expression of Belle’s kindness, he had not been able to bring himself to wash the lipstick from his cheek. He had decided to allow himself this one night to let the lipstick remain. 

He sighed as he glanced at the clock, noting that it was 5:00 AM. His first instinct was to get up and commence with the day’s activities, but both his body and mind refused to cooperate. His body wanted to linger in the bed where he was cozy and warm while his mind wanted to replay the events of the previous night. His sleep had been restless, with him tossing and turning to dreams of Belle and her kiss, dreams that kept alternating between the warmth of friendship and affection to something less G-rated. His cheek tingled as his thoughts veered in this unwelcome direction, finally forcing him to get out of bed and into the shower where he could wash away the remains of Belle’s lipstick and any lingering thoughts about her kiss.

By the time he got out of the shower, he felt much better. His thoughts had strayed to Belle several times, especially when washing the lipstick from his cheek, but he’d managed to divert them to the book that Dove had delivered to him the previous evening. He had finally procured a copy of ‘Her Handsome Hero’ for the library, thus fulfilling his end of his deal with Miss French.

He felt like his old self as he looked in the mirror to shave until he saw that there was still a trace of lipstick on his cheek. How could it still be there? He’d carefully scrubbed the spot where it had been. The tingle, which still remained, had directed him to the exact spot. Gold traced it one last time with his finger, allowing himself to recall the feeling of Belle’s lips on his cheek, before wetting a washcloth, and after a bit of scrubbing, removing it forever. 

______________________________________________________________________

Gold paused in front of the library, one hand gripping his cane and the other holding tightly onto ‘Her Handsome Hero’. It had taken him several hours of debate with himself to get to this moment. The kiss, as he’d come to refer to it in his mind, had not disappeared from his thoughts when the lipstick had finally disappeared from his cheek. He had been tortured part of the morning trying to decide whether or not to deliver the book to Miss French. One part of him wanted to avoid her like the coward that he was, while the other insisted that he had to deliver it to prove to her (and himself) that nothing had changed and that he had not taken the kiss for anything more than the sign of friendship that it was meant to be. The latter argument had finally won out, and Gold was now here and about to face Belle - Miss French, for the first time since last night.

He entered the library, taking a moment to adjust his eyes to the light. Belle was not at the front desk and was nowhere to be seen. He made his way further into the library, assuming that she would most likely be shelving books or assisting another patron. 

When he rounded a corner toward the back of the building, his eyes flew wide open at the sight. Belle was high up on a ladder reaching for a book. That was alarming in itself given what had happened the last time he had come across her reaching for a book. But more alarming to him was the fact that she had abandoned her high heels at the bottom of the ladder and was standing close to the top rung with her bare legs and feet very visibly on display to him. 

It was all he could do to maintain his composure. The spot where she had kissed him the previous evening, as well as some other parts of his anatomy, tingled in response, and his heart almost stopped out of a combination of something he chose to ignore and fear for her safety.

He placed the book down on the nearest table and approached the ladder.

“Miss French, what are you doing up there?” 

“Oh! Mr. Gold! I wasn’t expecting you. What a lovely surprise!” She looked down at him with a wide smile on her face. “I’ll be right with you.” She retrieved the book she’d been after with a tiny sound of triumph and began her descent.

Gold didn’t know where to look. He wanted to keep his eye on her for fear that she might fall from the ladder and injure herself, but was also uncomfortably aware of how watching her meant that he could not help but notice her bare legs and very short skirt. 

He scarcely had time to think about it before her legs were level with his eyes. He was just about to move away when she missed a rung and toppled into his arms. He heard his cane crash to the floor just as he caught her. For the second time in less than a day, he found himself frozen as they looked into each other’s eyes.

“Hey.” Belle was the first to speak.

“Hey,” Gold replied, all resolutions to keep things professional abandoned.

Belle finally recovered enough to address the situation. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Gold! I hope I didn’t hurt you.” 

Her words alerted him to the fact that he was still holding her in his arms. He quickly, but carefully, lowered her to her feet and stepped away.

“I’m fine, Miss French. It’s you I’m worried about.” He retrieved his cane and straightened his tie to help hide how flustered he was.

“I’m fine, Mr. Gold - thanks to you.” Belle bit her lower lip and smiled at him. “We really need to stop meeting this way,” she said in a tone that almost sounded suggestive. 

Was she flirting with him? Gold swallowed. Of course she wasn’t. Where was his resolve? He had been determined to keep his cool. Why did she have this effect on him?

“This is the second time you’ve had to save me from my own clumsiness,” she added.

“I’m happy I was here to be of assistance, Miss French. I wouldn’t want any harm to come to you.” That was better. They were back to an even footing so to speak.

“Belle,” she said as she placed her hand on his arm. He stared at it as if it were searing his skin through the fabric of his suit jacket. 

Belle giggled. “You can call me Belle,” she reminded him.

“Yes.. of course… Belle.” He smiled at her like the fool that he was. After a few moments he was relieved to remember why he was there. 

“I have something for you.” He retrieved the book from where he had left it and handed it to her. “I received it last night after our dinner.” His traitorous cheek tingled as he said it.

“Her Handsome Hero! Thank you so much, Mr. Gold! I can’t wait to add it to the collection here. I’ll have to make a point of recommending it to my potential converts.” She giggled and then looked at him with a smile on her lips.

“Are you suggesting that I read it, Miss, um, Belle?” He could handle this light banter.

“Well, since you mentioned it.” Her smile was hopeful. “And I did promise to recommend some works of fiction to you.” 

“I’d love to read it,” he responded while thinking that it would be a way to get to know her better… as a friend he reminded himself.

“Perfect! I’ll get it catalogued and then set it aside for you.”

“Thank you, Belle.”

They lingered a while longer talking about the library catalog, books, and their next inventory meeting.

Gold finally took his leave, satisfied that he’d averted any lasting awkwardness between them by treating the kiss the way it had been intended.

Belle held ‘Her Handsome Hero’ to her chest while watching her other handsome hero leave. She was satisfied that there just might be something there between them. His awkwardness and skittishness in her presence had to mean something.


	13. M is for Moe, Monster, Money, Magic, Mutually Beneficial Agreement, and Mystery

Belle entered the flower shop with a sense of trepidation that she was not used to feeling. She’d received a cryptic text from her father asking her to stop by after work, stating that it was urgent, and her stomach had been in turmoil since she’d received the message.

“Dad!” she called out to him when she saw that he wasn’t at the front counter.

“Belle, sweetheart,” he answered as he emerged from the back with a worried look on his face. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

Belle was confused. “I thought you had something you wanted to tell me. Your message said it was urgent.”

“It is. I want you to know that I’m here for you no matter what. Are you in some type of trouble?”

“No. Why would you think that?” 

Moe French cleared his throat. “I heard through the grapevine that you were seen having dinner with Mr. Gold at Granny’s last night. If that man has something he’s holding over you I need to know.”

Belle was completely taken aback. This was not at all what she had expected. “I was having dinner with Mr. Gold as part of a deal. He’s been very helpful to me procuring and selling some books for the library.”

“I knew it! That man is not to be trusted!” Moe’s face had taken on a purplish red color as he shouted in anger. “I don’t want you anywhere near him. I’ll take care of anything you owe him.”

Now Belle was angry. Her father had not listened to one thing she’d said. “There’s nothing to take care of. Mr. Gold and I have a very cordial relationship. He’s not holding anything over on me and I don’t owe him anything in the way you’re suggesting.”

“You don’t know him the way I do, Belle. He’s a monster who will take advantage of any situation. You have no idea what he’s capable of.”

Belle wanted to scream. Her father was being totally unreasonable. “Exactly what are you referring to, Dad? Has he done something to you I should know about?”

“Nothing you need to worry yourself about. I can handle Gold. You just stay away from him.”

“Unless you tell me what he’s done, I have no reason to shun him. He’s been nothing but helpful and kind to me.”

Moe’s face twisted in anger. “I forbid you to go anywhere near that man, Belle.”

Belle could see that this argument was going nowhere. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You should know me by now. I make my own decisions based on my own experiences. Since you can’t enlighten me as to what he’s done that’s so terrible, I’m not about to judge him.”

“Belle.” Moe’s voice was now pleading.

“Dad, you need to tell me what this is about.”

Moe mumbled to himself without answering. Belle stood there silently until he finally admitted, “I owe him money and I’m afraid he’s going to try to do something to you or to use you against me. He’s not being nice to you for no reason.”

Belle didn’t know whether she felt relieved or angry. What exactly did her father owe Mr. Gold? 

“Why didn’t you come to me if you needed money? I know I don’t have a lot, but I might have been able to help you out.”

Moe looked sheepish. “It’s been going on for a while. I got behind on my rent a couple of times and I may have also had to borrow a bit of money from Gold along the way.”

“How much do you owe him?” Belle was grateful that Mr. Gold had never once even hinted that he had any issues with her father.

Moe didn’t answer.

“Dad, I need to know.”

“It’s in the thousands,” he finally admitted.

“What?” Belle was shocked. “How did you get that far into debt? I thought the shop was doing well.”

“Belle, sweetheart,” Moe pleaded again. “I may have gotten in over my head a few times playing poker with the guys.”

“And Mr. Gold had to bail you out?” Belle was embarrassed thinking about it.

“It’s not like that. I’ve been paying him back, I swear, Belle. But he won’t budge even a little if I’m late so I can’t seem to catch up.”

Belle felt deflated. She loved her father, but he had brought this upon himself. “Are you still racking up gambling debts?”

“No, I stopped when you came back. I’m going to try to make good on everything I owe.”

“Good.”

“So you’re going to stay away from Gold?”

Belle sighed. “No, Dad. I’m sorry that you got into debt and that Mr. Gold isn’t flexible, but it doesn’t change my opinion of him. He’s gone out of his way to help me out and… and I like him.” 

“What?” Moe’s face contorted once again in anger.

“I like him. I already told you that he’s been very kind to me.”

“Belle.” Moe softened his tone.

“Dad, this conversation is over. I love you, but you’re not going to change my mind.” 

Moe looked as though he was about to say something else, but Belle held up her hand to stop him. “I’ll come by again in a couple of days or you could stop by the library to see me and sign up for a library card while you’re there. I have a goal I’m trying to reach.” She smiled at him for the first time since she’d entered the shop.

“OK, sweetheart, but I still want you to avoid Gold. If that man ever does anything at all to upset you, I want to know immediately.”

Belle knew when to cut her losses. “Goodnight, Dad.” She realized that she’d barely gotten through to him, but at least she’d planted a tiny seed in his brain that she did not share his disdain for Mr. Gold. It was going to be interesting if her relationship with the man developed the way she hoped it would.

________________________________________________________________

“So, what do you think?” Gold’s pride in his own accomplishment made Belle smile.

“I’m impressed. I can’t believe how much you’ve done since our first session.” 

Gold smiled back and chuckled. “Now if I can spend some time working on my inventory every day for the next 300 years of my life, I should be able to finish.”

Belle giggled. “Well, with my help and maybe a little bit of that magic you’re rumored to possess, we might be able to cut that down to 100 years.”

“Maybe 200. There’s a lot more at my house.” Gold almost managed to look guilty.

“Really? There’s more?” 

“Belle, I’ve been a collector of beautiful and unique items for a long time now. Antiques have been more of a passion for me than a business so I keep acquiring more of them than I sell.”

“Which is why I need to finish working on the website piece of the software,” Belle responded. “Even without the inventory or online sales sections, it will be a valuable source of advertising and marketing. I already have a lot of it set up. I just need to go over some details with you. Once that’s done I can get back to helping you with the inventory and we can link it to the website a little at a time.”

“About that…” Gold paused. “Our deal was for you to help me find a way to automate my business which you’ve done by locating the best software and assisting me with the initial implementation. I can’t in good conscience ask you to do more than that.” It almost killed Gold to say it. He did not want their time together to come to an end even though he knew that it was probably for the best considering his growing feelings for her.

“But I want to help you. I’m learning so much and it’s fun,” Belle insisted. She was not about to give up her time with Mr Gold. This was her best chance at making progress with him and she really was enjoying herself.

“Then, I’m afraid, _Miss French_, we’ll need to negotiate a new deal.” The chance to make another deal was too tempting for him to resist. So much for it being best to spend less time together. He was about to insure that they’d be doing the opposite.

Belle brightened. Of course. There was nothing Mr. Gold loved more than a deal. “Then that’s what we’ll do, _Mr. Gold_.” Her smile lit up her face, making Gold’s heart flutter. 

“Is there something you have in mind, Belle? Your services are quite valuable to me. I don’t want you to shortchange yourself.” God, he really was pathetic. 

Belle bit her lip while appearing deep in thought. After much debate with herself, she decided to broach the subject that had been bothering her since she’d seen her father the previous day.

“Can we come to some kind of agreement that involves me paying off my father’s debt to you?”

Gold’s heart sunk. “So you’re aware of your father’s situation?”

“As of yesterday. I had no idea that he’d gotten himself into such a hole. I was shocked to hear about it.”

“I understand if you’re angry with me.” Gold knew this would change her opinion of him.

“No! Of course not! It’s not your fault he got himself into such a mess. I just want to help him out if I can, but I’ll understand if you don’t want to make a deal with me about this.” 

Gold was stunned. Belle did not blame him. “If this is what you want, Belle, I’m happy to make it part of our deal. I just thought you’d want something for yourself.”

“This is for me as much as it is for my dad. I know he screwed up, but I want to help him get back on track. I worry about him, so doing this would give me some peace of mind.”

“And you think he’ll be OK with this arrangement? With you making a deal with the town monster to help him out?”

Belle pursed her lips. “First, you’re not a monster… and second, I’m not planning to tell him about this. I want him to keep paying off his debt to you. I’ll deal with him when we come to a zero balance.”

Gold had to chuckle to himself. Belle had a devious side to her that he found surprisingly appealing.

“As you wish, then. You know your father best.”

“Thank you!” Belle beamed.

“Well, then, let’s see if we can work out the details,” Gold suggested, trying to ignore all of the conflicting emotions that were about to overwhelm him.

They spent some time coming to an agreement. Gold wanted to be much too generous in Belle’s estimation, while Gold felt as though the terms weren’t fair to Belle. The one thing they both agreed on was that there was no employer/employee aspect to this arrangement. Belle would assist with the inventory and software at her convenience and Gold would lower Moe’s debt commensurate with the time she spent doing so. 

“So, _Miss French_, have we come to a mutually beneficial agreement in your opinion?” Gold asked when they seemed to be on the same page.

“Yes, _Mr. Gold_, I’d say we have a deal.”

“Ah… a woman after my own heart.” He grinned while extending his hand to her.

Belle giggled at his remark even as her heart fluttered. They shook hands to finalize the deal, a mix of warmth and electricity seeming to pass between them as their hands met.

Gold was pleased. Not only would Belle be providing him with an invaluable service, she would also be bringing some of her lovely light into his lonely life. He just had to make sure that he kept reminding himself that her presence was part of a deal and that the relationship that was developing between them was purely friendship. It wouldn’t be easy, but he was a master of his emotions in spite of the fact that his cheek had been tingling since she’d placed her hand in his to close the deal.

Belle, on her part, was elated. Not only would she be helping out her dad, but she would be spending a lot of time with Mr. Gold. She was pretty sure that he had some feelings for her and with a little (or maybe a lot) of encouragement, she could move their relationship beyond friendship. But before that could happen, however, she had a certain mystery about Mr. Gold that she needed to solve and the perfect way to make that happen.


	14. N is for Name, Necklace and Nickname

Belle sat humming to herself as she watched Mr. Gold retrieve several items of jewelry from his display case. Within a few hours of making their newest deal, they had established a highly efficient process for recording his inventory that was only slowed down when she became intrigued by an item and he indulged her by expounding on it.

“Here we go.” Gold placed the items on the surface that they were using as a backdrop for taking photos.

He glanced at Belle who had been uncharacteristically quiet for a while. He cleared his throat to get her attention. “Is anything amiss, Belle? You seem distracted.”

Belle bit down on her lower lip before answering. “I’ve been thinking about what we said about this not being an employer/employee situation and thought that maybe you’d like me to use your first name from now on.” She paused, trying to gauge his reaction. “It would put us on a more equal footing. It seems strange to call you Mr. Gold while we’re working so closely together.” Her eyes never left his face so she did not miss the look of anxiety that briefly clouded his features.

Gold, on his part, felt himself panic. 

“It’s OK if you don’t want to share your name with me. I assume there’s a reason why you don’t use it,” she attempted to reassure him. She could see that he was struggling to respond to her. 

She placed her hand on his arm and Gold felt himself calm down at her touch. He knew that he owed her an answer. “Belle, I haven’t used my name since I was a lad. It was the reason I was constantly bullied as a child.”

That was the last thing Belle had expected him to say. She would have never brought it up if she’d known she was opening up old wounds. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize.” She couldn’t imagine what it was like to be bullied as a child, especially over your name.

“It’s fine, Belle.” For some reason, just telling her about the bullying, even without any detail, had a freeing effect on him. It was as though he had released something that was trapped deep inside himself. Perhaps he could share more than he’d thought. “My name is very unusual, more a joke than a serious name, but it was what my father gave me and I was stuck with it.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gold. I understand if you don’t want to use it or talk about it.” 

“I’ve always believed that names have power. Probably because of how much power I allowed others to hold over me once they knew my name,” he admitted. “It’s also why I never changed it when I came of legal age. I realized that my name was part of my identity, and giving it up would be akin to giving in to the bullies completely.”

“But you still don’t like to use it?” Belle asked, hoping that she wasn’t being insensitive.

“I prefer to keep it to myself. I’ve found that operating without a first name has served me exceedingly well… it’s been its own source of power for me .” A slight smile tugged at his lips as he realized how he could use the power of that name to his advantage in this current situation.

Belle recognized the smile for what it was as soon as she saw it. She hadn’t made several deals with Mr. Gold without learning to identify his tells. “You want to make a deal,” she accused him.

Gold’s smile widened in that predatory way that made her shiver with pleasure. “And how would you know that, Miss French?” 

“I know your smile, Mr. Gold, and I also know that you revert to calling me Miss French when you’re about to offer me a deal,” she answered smugly.

Gold had to chuckle. The woman was definitely his match. “I’m willing to tell you my name, but it’s on two conditions - You can never reveal it to anyone else and…,” he paused to retrieve something from his display case, “and you must accept this necklace as part of the deal.” He opened his hand to reveal the necklace with the book-shaped locket that had caught Belle’s attention when they’d first started working on his inventory.

Belle gasped. “I couldn’t possibly accept this, Mr. Gold. It’s too much,” she lamented while taking it in her hand to caress it once again.

“Those are my terms, Belle. I would really love for you to have this necklace. I told you that I would find the right owner for it and I believe that person is you. Besides,” he added, “it would be an extra reminder to you of how valuable the secrecy of my name is to me.”

Belle was torn. She wanted the necklace and she wanted to know his name even more. Then she giggled. She should have known that even finding out the simplest thing about Mr. Gold would involve intrigue and deals.

“You look amused, Miss French.”

“I am. Only you would turn sharing your name into a deal.”

Gold laughed. “I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.” He watched her expectantly. “So do we have a deal?”

“Yes, we have a deal even though I still think the necklace is too much. I promise to take very good care of it.”

“I would never expect less of you.” 

“Thank you so much, Mr. Gold! I’m going to keep my mom’s photo in it. She taught me to read and she’s the reason why I love books so much. This way I’ll always have her close to my heart.” There was a tiny catch in Belle’s voice that made Gold know that he’d definitely made the right decision by giving her the necklace.

“Would you mind?” She handed the necklace back to him as she held up her hair to give him access to place the piece of jewelry around her neck. 

Gold’s hands trembled as he fumbled with the clasp. He tried his best to keep from brushing his hand against her bare skin, but it happened more than once, and each time he felt a jolt of electricity pass between them and even imagined that he heard a tiny moan escaping from her lips. He could not stop the trembling even as he completed the task and pulled away from her.

Belle turned to face him. “How does it look?” She once again took the locket between her fingers.

“B-beautiful,” Gold stuttered. “As if it was made for you,” he added, reminding himself that he and Belle were just friends.

Belle held his gaze until she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. “Now it’s your turn,” she said to cut the tension that seemed to be growing between them.

Gold gulped and closed his eyes before answering.

“Rumplestiltskin. My name is Rumplestiltskin.” He opened his eyes to find her staring at him with her arms folded across her chest.

He could see that she didn’t believe him. “Belle, that’s my name.”

Belle wavered. Could he be telling the truth? It fit his story. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” Her tone was gentle.

“Yes, as hard as it is to believe. My father was a very immature man who thought it would be funny to name his first-born son after the fairy tale character. He said it was meant to be since his last name was Gold and my mother’s maiden name was Spinner. Sometimes I think he married her just to have the excuse to name a child Rumplestiltskin.”

“I’m sorry.” Belle felt for him. “I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for you as a child.” 

“Yes,” Gold responded, amazed that she wasn’t laughing at him.

She paused. “But I like it. It’s unique and mysterious like you.”

“Is that so?” Gold was in awe of Belle’s kindness. 

“Yes. Plus it gives us something unusual in common. We’re both named after some version of a fairy tale character.”

A tiny smile appeared on Gold’s face, the first since he’d mentioned his name to her. “An astute observation, Belle. Of course we also share that distinction with your former intended, Gaston. He was a character in the Disney film after all.” 

Belle was surprised to hear Gold reference the film. He didn’t strike her as the Disney type. “Well, not exactly. His actual name is Gregory. His parents gave him the nickname Gaston after Disney’s Beauty and the Beast came out. They thought it would be cute since I was named Belle and we would eventually end up together.”

Gold looked confused. “But Gaston doesn’t end up with Belle in the film.”

Belle laughed. “I know, but they wanted to use the name because he was so handsome in their opinion. They didn’t want their son to be associated with the beast.”

Gold laughed outright and Belle giggled. Belle was happy to see that he no longer seemed upset. She decided at that moment that she would make it her mission to help him see his name in a positive light. 

“So where do we stand with your name? Am I going to be able to use it?” she asked.

Gold looked thoughtful for a moment. “My aunts used to call me Rumple, but that was when I was a little boy.”

“What about Rum? Can I call you that? I think it really suits you.”

Hearing this new nickname from her lips made his heart beat faster. “I think I’d like that, Belle.” He was surprised by his own words and by how true they were.

“Perfect!” She smiled. “But what about in public? I know you don’t want me to share your name with anyone, but what if I see you at Granny’s or we’re out together? Will you be OK with me calling you Rum or do I have to call you Mr. Gold?”

The idea that Belle was contemplating being out in public with him again in the future was all his mind wanted to fixate on at first. It took a great effort for him to actually address her question. In some ways he liked the thought of Belle using his name only in private (for more reasons than he wished to contemplate), but he knew it wasn’t practical or reasonable. Of course it would mean that he’d be giving up the power that having an unknown first name had afforded him, but he was sure that his reputation would more than make up for that. 

He looked up to see Belle waiting patiently for an answer. “Yes, Belle, that will be acceptable… as long as you don’t reveal my true name. That must remain between you and me.”

“You have my word, Rum.” Belle smiled happily at him as she called him by his name for the first time since they’d met. She was thrilled that she’d not only solved the mystery of his name, but that they were now going to be on a first name basis with one another. There were still so many questions to be answered and mysteries to be solved when it came to Mr. Gold, but for now she was content that they were headed in the right direction.


	15. O is for Ogre, Old-fashioned, Old World Manners, Official, Obvious, Oblivious, and Once Upon a Time

Belle sat nervously at the counter in Granny’s Diner watching Ruby deal with the last of the early morning take-out rush. It had only been a day since she’d last been here, but so much had changed between herself and Rum since then that she was sure Ruby would sense it. Ruby had already sent a couple of curious looks her way making it clear that her friend knew something was up.

“What’s going on?” Ruby asked before Belle realized that she was standing right in front of her.

“Nothing,” Belle replied, trying to buy herself some additional time.

Her answer only served to make Ruby more determined. She searched Belle’s face for clues, noting the blush that was rising to her cheeks, until her eyes settled on the gold chain and locket around Belle’s neck.

“Really?” Ruby’s tone made it clear that she did not believe her friend. “What’s this?” She pointed to the necklace that had caught her eye.

Belle’s blush deepened. “It’s a book locket.” She lifted it so that Ruby could take a closer look. 

“It’s beautiful - so perfect for you!” Ruby exclaimed. “Is it a family heirloom?”

“Not exactly,” Belle hedged. “I got it from Mr. Gold as part of a deal.”

Ruby’s smile turned triumphant. “I _knew_ it had something to do with him.”

“It was a simple deal, Ruby, nothing else.” 

“Of course,” Ruby agreed with unmissable sarcasm. “What did you have to offer him in return? Your first-born child?”

“Ruby!” Belle admonished, her heart beating rapidly at the reference to the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale. “He’s not an ogre. He’s very reasonable… and kind.” 

“So what exactly did you have to do then?” Ruby’s tone had turned suggestive and Belle groaned.

“I didn’t have to do anything. He agreed to tell me his name if I accepted the necklace from him.”

“Oh my God! The man’s smitten! And you know his name!” Ruby screamed aloud and Belle was grateful that the diner was almost empty. 

Belle turned several shades of red. She knew Ruby would twist this into something more than it was. “He’s not smitten… though I think we’ve made some progress,” Belle admitted. 

“OK… if you want to stay in denial,” Ruby dismissed her. “But, more important, what’s his name? I’ve been dying to find out!”

Belle was grateful that Rum had been open to her sharing his nickname with others. She had no idea how she would have been able to keep it from her friend. “It’s Rum.” She felt something that she couldn’t describe as she shared it.

“Rum?” Ruby repeated. “Like the drink?”

“Yes. The same.” 

“I like it,” Ruby said, “but it must be short for some stodgy old name like Rumford or Rummond. After all, it _is_ Gold we’re talking about,” she laughed.

“He’s not stodgy.” Belle felt defensive as she berated her friend. “He’s old-fashioned - I like to think of him as a gentleman with old world manners.”

“You’re as smitten as he is! Don’t try to deny it!” Ruby accused her friend through her laughter.

If it hadn’t been so quiet in the diner they wouldn’t have heard the tap of his cane. Belle looked up to see Mr. Gold entering the door. Her face flamed red as she prayed he hadn’t overheard them. 

She caught his eye immediately and she swore that she saw a blush rise to his cheeks.

He walked slowly towards her, that same look of anxiety he’d displayed the previous day briefly clouding his features. Belle’s heart fluttered. She would have almost forgotten about Ruby if she hadn’t been able to feel her friend’s eyes on both of them.

“Good morning, Belle.” 

The sound of his voice increased her flutters. “Good morning, Rum.” There. She’d said it aloud to him in public for the first time and neither of them had disappeared. She was thankful that Ruby was the only one who could hear her. She knew this was difficult for him.

Gold clenched his cane at the sound of his name. He’d purposely arrived at the diner a little later than usual hoping to avoid this encounter. A sudden panic overwhelmed him, but it quickly subsided when he saw the smile on Belle’s face. Perhaps it was for the best that Ruby was the first to know. She’d be sure that the rest of the town was informed by day’s end. 

“Hey,” Belle’s smile widened. “I’m so happy to see you.”

“Likewise.” A crooked smile graced his face. Belle had a way of making his demons disappear.

They stood smiling at one another until Ruby cleared her throat.

“I’ll have the usual, Miss Lucas.” Gold didn’t even look up to acknowledge her, partially because he wasn’t ready to look her in the eye after this revelation and partly because he could not seem to take his eyes off Belle.

“So how did that feel?” Belle asked when Ruby was out of earshot.

Gold relaxed as he let out a deep breath. “Not as terrifying as I thought it would be,” he heard himself say to his own surprise.

“It should get a lot easier after this, don’t you think?” She smiled reassuringly.

“Yes… I’m glad that’s over with. I can rely on Miss Lucas to spread the word, so to speak.”

Belle giggled. Her friend was not known for her discretion.

Gold chuckled. He’d been worrying about sharing his name since the previous day. He had to admit to himself that he liked how this new nickname sounded and believed that he could live with others knowing it.

“I found a photo of my mom for the locket.” Belle drew his attention to the jewelry that sat on her chest below her collarbone. She opened it to show him and he had to move quite close to her to see the photo. He felt himself tremble from the intimacy inherent in their close proximity. Ruby’s prying eyes noted every nuance of their interaction.

“She was very beautiful, Belle. You look just like her.” His voice sounded hoarse to his own ears.

Gold’s words brought a new blush to Belle’s cheeks and to his.

“Thank you, Rum.” 

Ruby had to clear her throat again to get their attention. “Here you go.” She handed Gold his order.

“Thank you, Miss Lucas.” He allowed his eyes to meet hers.

Ruby smiled in her usual knowing way in response, but Gold ignored her.

“Good day, Miss Lucas,” he said as he prepared to leave.

“Good bye, Belle. I’ll see you soon.”

“Good bye, Rum,” Belle replied, smiling happily after him.

Ruby’s voice broke into Belle’s thoughts. “Well, you two might as well call it official.” Her grin covered her face from ear to ear.

Belle stared at her friend. “What?”

“It’s obvious that the two of you really _really_ like one another, Belle. Anyone can see it.”

“We’re just friends right now as you know. I think we’re very far from being more than that, if we ever even get to that point.”

Ruby sighed. “I’ve never seen two people more oblivious to the obvious than you and Gold.”

“This isn’t a fairy tale, Ruby. We can’t just go from Once Upon a Time to Happily Ever After with nothing in between.” Belle couldn’t resist using her fairy tale analogy.

“Yeah, but you two are going to write a full length novel before you even go on a real first date.”

Belle didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at her friend’s words. There was no doubt that there was nothing quick about her relationship with Mr. Gold. But then she remembered something that made her smile to herself. After all, full length novels _were_ her specialty.


	16. P is for Porch, Pink, Pawnshop, Panic, Plans, Personal and Professional

Gold gulped down the remainder of his lunch, took one last look at himself in the mirror, straightened his tie, and then sighed. What was he doing? He’d been away in Boston for 2 days negotiating a very lucrative business deal and had just returned home. Normally he would be carefully scouring the documents for any discrepancies or loopholes, but instead, he was rushing to get to his pawnshop where he was scheduled to meet up with Belle in 20 minutes. 

Belle… His heart quickened at the thought of seeing her. She’d been on his mind constantly while he was away despite his best efforts to concentrate on business only. He’d tried to tell himself it was because she was tied into his business now, what with the deal they’d made that would keep them working together on his software and inventory for some time to come, but he knew in his heart that he was only fooling himself. 

He glanced at his watch as he exited his house. Friends… they were just friends and that’s all they’d ever be he reminded himself over and over again.

“Meow!” 

Gold almost stumbled. Belle’s cat was lying on the cushioned seat on his front porch with one leg up in the air. She’d stopped mid-grooming to greet him and had now returned to the task at hand.

Gold was flabbergasted. How? How had she found his house? Was she visiting every house in Storybrooke and just ended up at his by chance? “What are you doing here?” he asked.

Snowball stopped for another second to look at him. She made a tiny indefinable sound and then went back to her cleaning.

He had to call Belle. He couldn’t just leave the cat here. What if she was lost? Belle would never forgive him. He fumbled to find the phone in his pocket to place the call.

“Rum!” The pure joy in her voice as she greeted him sent waves of pleasure through him. 

“Hello, Belle,” he managed to choke out.

“It’s so good to hear your voice! Is everything OK? Are we still meeting at 1:00?” 

Gold hesitated before speaking. “There’s a small matter we need to attend to first. Something that belongs to you has taken residence on my front porch,” he answered in his usual cryptic fashion.

“Your porch?” Belle didn’t understand. The pawnshop didn’t have a porch. “At your house? Snowball’s at your house?”

Gold chuckled. Belle was as shocked as he was. “Yes. She’s been busy grooming herself and has just settled down into a deep sleep. She’s made herself quite at home.”

Belle giggled even though she was mortified. The thought of Snowball settled in on Mr. Gold’s front porch, and his reaction to her, struck her as being extremely funny. On the other hand, she had no idea how the cat had ended up at his house. It would have been stalkerish if they weren’t talking about a cat.

“I’m so sorry, Rum. I’ll come right over to get her.”

“No need to apologize, Belle. Please take your time getting here. I don’t think she’s going anywhere.” He paused. “Do you need directions to my house?” He knew that was a foolish question since everyone in Storybrooke knew his ‘pink’ Victorian. He cringed. The house was salmon, but everyone took great pleasure in describing it as ‘pink’. 

“I know your house from years ago. I’ll have no trouble finding it.” 

Of course she wouldn’t. She knew it as well as the rest of them. “Very well. I’ll see you soon.”

Gold closed his phone and took one last look at Snowball. She was purring contentedly as though she was exactly where she belonged. He unlocked his door and re-entered the house. A panic seized him as he realized that Belle would soon be there - that she would be at his house for the first time. He forced himself to breathe in deeply, reminding himself that she was not coming to his house as a guest. She would be there strictly to pick up Snowball. It was not a personal visit to him. 

Despite his best intentions, he could not stop thinking about Belle’s imminent arrival. Should he invite her in? Would that be too personal or presumptuous? Maybe it would be best to greet her on the porch. That way she could retrieve Snowball and then be on her way. They were, after all, scheduled to meet at his shop. There was no reason to think that their plans had changed. Yes, that’s what he would do. He’d make sure that Snowball was safely in her possession and then both he and Belle would return to town to meet at the pawnshop as previously planned.

He checked his watch again and was unnerved to see how much time had passed. He let himself back out onto the porch just in time to come face to face with the woman herself.

“Belle!” He choked out in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

Belle bit back a giggle. She could see that Gold was extremely flustered. “I was just leaving work so it didn’t take me long to get here. The cat carrier was already in my car,” she explained. Her eyes met his and she smiled.

“Of course,” he answered lamely, his eyes never leaving hers.

Belle finally broke eye contact to survey the porch. “There she is!” she exclaimed when she spotted Snowball. “I don’t know how she found your house, but I told you she likes you. She must have missed you while you were away.” A blush rose to Belle’s cheeks when she realized that she was speaking as much about herself as she was about the cat.

A corresponding blush rose to Gold’s cheeks. “Perhaps she’s trying out the furniture all over town and we just happen to have the same taste,” Gold quipped to break the tension that was growing between them.

Belle giggled. “Well, I don’t blame her. You own some very beautiful items.” She stopped to look around. “And your house is gorgeous!”

Gold braced himself as he waited for her to say something about it being pink.

“And I’ve always loved the color,” Belle continued. “Is it salmon? It’s very warm and inviting.”

Gold was stunned. No one had ever described the color correctly. “Y-yes. You have a very keen eye, Belle. Most would call it pink.” He didn’t know why he had brought up the one thing he had been hoping to avoid.

“No! That’s not it at all. The color of your house is unique.” 

Belle’s enthusiasm for the Victorian warmed his soul. “Would you like to come in? I was about to make myself a cup of tea. Perhaps you’d do me the honor of joining me?”

“I’d love to! Thank you so much, Rum! This is an unexpected treat!”

Gold could not keep his own delight at bay even as he wondered what he was doing. His intention had been to have Belle collect the cat and then for both of them to head back to town. Now he was not only inviting her in, but he was also inviting her to tea. This had now turned into a personal visit. He could feel his panic returning.

“I hope you don’t think this is interfering with our plans to work on your inventory.” Belle bit on her lower lip as her eyes met his.

Belle’s words gave Gold the out he was looking for. This was his chance to temper the personal with the professional. “Not at all, Belle. In fact, this will give me the chance to show you some of the additional inventory that I store at my house.” He felt his panic subside now that he was back in control.

Belle laughed. “That’s right. I haven’t forgotten what you told me about your house being an annex to the pawnshop.”

Gold grinned. Perhaps this was turning out better than he expected. “Allow me.” He opened the door and gestured for her to enter. 

Belle stepped through the door and gasped in delight. It was even more beautiful than she had envisioned. And more than that, it was a glimpse into the mysterious personal life of Rum Gold.


	17. Q is for Questions, Quips, Quotes and Quiver

Gold heard Belle’s gasp as he followed her into his house. He could see the look of awe on her face and it filled him with a sense of pride. His possessions, especially his house, were all chosen by him with the greatest of care and he felt in many ways that they were an extension of himself.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” he quipped, well aware that his home was anything but humble. 

Belle giggled. She was getting very used to Mr. Gold’s humor and enjoyed it immensely. “It’s stunning, Rum! I love the stained glass and the high ceilings and the wood floors and the fireplace…” She looked to her side and gasped again. “... and the staircase - it’s gorgeous! The millwork is amazing…” Belle babbled on until she had to stop to catch her breath.

“I take it that you approve?” Gold quipped again. The nervousness that he thought would overwhelm him had been put to rest by Belle’s enthusiasm. 

Belle was finally able to tear her eyes away from her surroundings to look at her host. “I’m speechless and I’m still in your foyer.” Belle laughed at her comment, suddenly realizing that she’d been anything but speechless. She’d barely allowed Rum to get a word in.  
“So to speak,” she added and they both laughed.

“Thank you, Belle.” His heart swelled with happiness at her words. “The house was built in 1890 and designed by a well-known architect of the time. The craftsmanship and attention to detail spoke to me from the moment I first saw it.” 

“I can see why,” Belle replied. “It suits you and your antiques perfectly.” Belle smiled at him. “I’d love to see more.”

“Of course.” Gold directed her to the living room located off the foyer. It was decorated just as Belle would have imagined with its dark tones and overflow of antique furniture, pillows, paintings, lamps, and accessories too expensive looking to be called knick-knacks. There were more items than Belle could take in, but the overall effect was one of tasteful elegance rather than clutter. Belle noted that the room boasted a very large bay window that would have let in some very welcome light if it hadn’t been covered by curtains and heavy drapes. 

Belle voiced her approval and asked a variety of questions as they moved down the hall to the dining room and then to the kitchen. 

“This wasn’t what I was expecting. You have a chef’s kitchen! And it’s so bright and airy in here!” Belle exclaimed when she saw how well equipped and modern it was. “I assume you like to cook?” she asked, not entirely certain that he would answer in the affirmative.

“I do.” Gold smiled almost shyly. “I enjoy trying different recipes and even fancy myself a decent chef at times.”

“I’m not surprised, Rum. I’m learning that you have many hidden talents.” She felt herself blush as her mind went in an unexpected direction.

Gold blushed in response. His mind had gone in a similar direction making him incapable of forming an intelligent thought.

Belle was finally able to break the silence by asking one of the many questions swirling around in her brain. “So what do you like to cook? Do you have any specialties?” 

“Ah… I suppose I have a few chicken, steak and pasta dishes that I return to over and over again, but the abundance of fresh seafood available here in Storybrooke has influenced a lot of my recipes. I have a delicious salmon dish that I think can rival the best.” He pictured himself cooking for Belle, and wanted to invite her to have dinner with him, but stopped himself before he said anything foolish.

“That sounds wonderful. I’m jealous. I wish I was a better cook than I am. I think I’ve mastered a couple of pasta dishes, but I’m sure they couldn’t compete with yours.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Belle. I thought the brownies and cookies you baked for me were some of the best I’ve ever had.”

Belle blushed with pleasure. “Thanks, Rum. I do love to bake, but I’m still working on my regular cooking skills.”

“Well, it takes time. I’ve been cooking for years now so I think I have a slight advantage. I’ve had my share of kitchen disasters over the years.”

Belle giggled to herself. She wondered if he cooked while wearing a 3 piece suit. She pictured a kitchen where nothing spilled, splattered or caught fire and where pans and dishes were instantly cleared away and cleaned without any mess. Just the opposite of her kitchen when she was cooking or baking.

“Is something amusing you, Belle?” He asked when he saw her biting back a smile.

This time she giggled out loud. “I was wondering if you cook in your suits or if you wear something more comfortable.” 

Gold laughed. “I’ve been known to occasionally loosen my tie a bit.” He grinned at her and she laughed aloud.

Gold’s heart stuttered. Why did this woman have such an effect on him? He cleared his throat before speaking, afraid his voice would betray him. “Well, let me put on a kettle of water. I did invite you to tea after all.” He filled the pot with water and placed it on the stove, buying himself time to compose himself.

“Can I help you with anything?” Belle asked.

“Yes, in fact. I’d like to show you a very special room if you don’t mind carrying the tea tray for me. We can have our tea there.” Gold retrieved the teapot, cups, saucers, silverware, tea leaves and other accoutrements, setting each carefully on the tray. He removed the kettle from the stove with his free hand while he clutched his cane tightly with the other.

“Will you be able to carry the tray, Belle? We can make more than one trip if it’s too much for you.”

“Is this the tea set with the chipped cup?” She recognized the distinctive blue and white pattern. “You trust me with this?” She felt slightly nervous knowing how clumsy she could be even if Snowball had been the culprit the last time.

“Of course.” Then he grinned at her with that instantly recognizable smile. “If you break anything, Miss French, I’m sure we can parlay it into a deal.”

Belle pursed her lips at him as if in disapproval and then laughed. “Challenge accepted, Mr. Gold.”

His heart skipped a beat as he basked in the warmth of her laughter and smile. “Then follow me.” 

He led her out of the kitchen and down the hall into a room that took her breath away. Belle heard the teacups clattering as her hands shook.

“Right here, Belle.” Gold directed her to place the tray on a large ottoman situated in front of a chair and settee.

Belle placed the tray down as carefully as possible, the sound of clattering increasing in spite of her best efforts. A sigh of relief escaped her when she noted that everything was still intact.

She straightened herself to find Rum beside her, ready to steady her if need be. 

“This is a dream!” Her eyes swept over the room before meeting his. “Your own personal library! It’s remarkable!” Belle was entranced. The room was huge with elaborately carved bookshelves lining the walls from floor to ceiling, a magnificent fireplace, a gorgeous antique desk that was obviously well-used, and a cozy sitting area that was perfect for tea and curling up with a good book. The windows, also floor to ceiling, were covered with dark lush drapes not unlike the other rooms in the house. 

“I thought you might like this room,” Gold stated nonchalantly.

“Like? I could live in here and be the happiest person alive!” Belle’s smile was the brightest he’d ever seen.

Gold chuckled even as his heart leapt into his throat. The vision of Belle living here in his house with him had appeared in his dreams on more than one occasion. He quickly pushed the thought as far away as possible.

“Please look around while I steep the tea.” He welcomed the distraction of preparing the tea while Belle’s focus was elsewhere. He had to gain back control of his thoughts.

Belle, on her part, did not hesitate to investigate her surroundings. She lovingly fingered the spines of several books while storing away many of the titles to ruminate over later and gushed about the craftsmanship that was displayed throughout the room. She took in as much as she could in the short time that it took for Gold to brew the tea, not wanting to miss any of the wonders before her.

“How do you take your tea, Belle? Milk, lemon, honey, sugar? It’s Earl Grey.” He realized that they’d never shared a cup of tea before. Up to this point it had been coffee from Granny’s. 

“Just a tiny bit of milk.” She walked over to him and watched him pour. He added milk to hers and some honey to his.

“Please make yourself comfortable.” He gestured to the settee.

Belle sat down leaving room for him, but he sat across from her on the chair. “You’re using the chipped cup,” she observed, surprised that she hadn’t noticed it previously. She attributed that to the sensory overload that being in Rum’s house had brought upon her.

“Y-yes,” Gold stuttered. He’d been using it for some time now and did not want to think too deeply on the reasons behind it. “I decided to keep the set for myself. It’s very pleasing to the eye and the chip is barely noticeable.”

Belle bit her lip to hide her smile. “Well, this is lovely. I can’t imagine a better spot to have a cup of tea.”

Gold sipped his tea and smiled back at her. “The library is my sanctuary when I’m home. I spend many hours here.”

“I would do the same.” They sat quietly sipping their tea for a few moments until Belle spotted something that caught her attention. “That’s one of my favorite quotes.”

Gold immediately knew that she was referring to the carved plaque that sat on the shelf behind his left shoulder. 

“We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the earth.” His eyes never left hers as he said the words.

“It’s so true.” Belle’s smile was rueful. “I know that even if I never get to travel the world, my books will take me anywhere I want to go.” She paused as she chewed on her bottom lip. “I always think about that quote and one of my mom’s whenever I have doubts about where my life is headed or what path I should take.”

Gold waited for her to continue.

“Do the brave thing and bravery will follow. My mom used to say that to me and I never forgot it.”

“And does it work?” Gold asked, truly interested in her answer.

“Well, it’s inspired me to take some chances even when others were telling me I shouldn’t.”

“Like making deals with the town monster?” Gold couldn’t hide his smile.

“You know my thoughts on that, Rum, but yes, and I’m glad that I did.”

The way she was looking at him made Gold’s heart pound. He was thankful that he wasn’t sitting next to her because he was sure she’d be able to hear it.

“As am I.” He could barely hear himself speaking.

Belle’s heart seized. Something between them had shifted even if it was almost imperceptible. 

Gold knew that he needed to change the subject before he did or said something he’d regret. “I suppose we should continue with our tour?” His voice was ragged despite his best efforts to modulate it.

“Yes, of course. I’m guessing that you haven’t shown me any of the items that you want to sell yet.”

Gold chuckled. “Belle, this house is almost 6,000 square feet. There are 6 bedrooms upstairs, only one of which I use for myself. The others are decorated with antiques that I may or may not decide to sell. I also have an attic filled with items, and then of course, there’s the dungeon,” he stated matter-of-factly.

Belle stared at him with an annoyed expression on her face. “You don’t have a dungeon.” When he didn’t answer she almost second-guessed herself. Maybe he was into that sort of thing.

Gold chuckled. “That was a quip, Belle. Just checking to see if you were paying attention.”

“Very funny.” She kept the stern expression on her face as long as she could and then giggled.

He grinned and added, “But I do have a full basement and a three car garage with a workshop. All contain items that I would eventually hope to sell.”

Belle did not allow the sheer enormity of what he was saying overwhelm her. After all, she was planning on having what would hopefully be a long-term relationship with Mr. Gold. “Well then, what are we waiting for? You have a lot to show me.”

“Very well.” He offered her his arm and she happily linked her arm in his. This was definitely progress. She’d been right about something changing between them.

Gold’s whole body quivered from their physical contact. Why had he offered her his arm? It had happened so naturally that he hadn’t even realized he’d done so until it was too late. He calmed himself when he was reassured that Belle didn’t seem the least bit upset. In fact, there was a joy emanating from her that soothed his very being. Perhaps he was being too hard on himself. After all, there was no reason why being friends should prevent him from being a gentleman. But, even with that thought in mind, he was relieved when he had to free himself from her grasp in order to hold onto the railing leading to the upper floors.


	18. R is for Rumplestiltskin, Rose, Romance, Rather Large Estate, and R-rated

“Should I take it as a good sign that you haven’t yet run away vowing never to return?” Gold asked Belle as they exited his workshop and approached the gate leading to his backyard and garden.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily. Once I put my mind to something I never give up.” Belle’s eyes sparkled with mirth and determination.

Gold chuckled even as his heart stuttered. He was amazed at Belle’s unflagging enthusiasm after everything he’d shown her. They’d toured the upper levels and basement of his house, as well as his immense garage and workshop, and yet she was still as excited as she’d been when she’d first entered his foyer. And, if he were to be completely honest with himself, he wanted to believe that a tiny bit of her comment referred to their growing friendship. 

“Well then, Miss French, it appears that there’ll be some new deals in our future. Our current one will most definitely run its course well before we make a dent in my vast inventory.”

“I look forward to it, Mr. Gold.” She smiled at him. “I’m really enjoying myself, Rum.”

“I’m glad, Belle. So am I. I haven’t enjoyed my own house this much in years,” he admitted. He paused to clear his throat before continuing, “But I do want to show you something that I think you’ll appreciate even more, especially since it won’t add any extra work to our plates.” 

Belle gasped for what seemed like the 100th time that day when he opened the gate to his yard. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her life. The lush green lawn and hedges were perfectly manicured and there were pathways, benches, statuary, a fountain, and a gorgeous rose garden that made her feel as though she was on the grounds of a castle.

“This is truly breathtaking, Rum! I’m seriously enchanted.” Belle stood mesmerized by the sights before her.

For the second time that day, Gold offered her his arm. This time he did it intentionally. Belle would never be able to maneuver her way along the pathways in those heels without his assistance. At least that’s what he told himself.

Belle slipped her arm into his without hesitation. She was thrilled again by this chance for close physical contact, especially since it was initiated by him.

Gold led her down several paths while Belle commented on the sheer beauty of her surroundings at every turn. She couldn’t help but smile to herself about how impeccably manicured everything was… so much like its owner. But what caught her eye and drew her in the most were the salmon-colored roses in his flower beds and the ramblers and climbers of the same color that he’d allowed to grow wildly throughout his yard.

“I love your salmon roses! They match the color of your house. I can’t stop staring at them even with my father being a florist.” Belle laughed at the realization. She was so used to being around flowers that she sometimes forgot to appreciate their beauty. 

“I’m glad you approve. I wasn’t aware that salmon roses existed before I started gardening.”

“I don’t think I noticed just how beautiful they are until I saw them juxtaposed with your house. You must have someone who helps you with all of this.” She made a sweeping motion with her arms to indicate the entirety of his land.

“Of course. I have an excellent landscaper who takes care of all of the upkeep, though I do like to tend to the roses myself. I find it quite soothing.”

Belle’s phone buzzed loudly. “It’s Ruby. I’m supposed to meet her later. Do you mind if I take this call?”

“Please take your time, Belle. I, too, have something that needs my attention.” An idea had formed in his brain that he could not seem to dismiss even though it panicked him. He kept repeating Belle’s words to himself - Do the brave thing and bravery will follow.

Belle smiled at him as she answered the phone. “Hi, Ruby.”

She watched Gold walk away before she got caught up in conversation. 

“Just checking in. Are we still on for tonight?” Ruby sounded like she needed a break.

“Definitely. I’m baking brownies and I’ll bring the wine.” 

“Great! Wine and chocolate are all I need. Where are you? I hear birds chirping.”

Belle whispered, “I’m at Rum’s getting a tour of his house. It’s part of the inventory project that I’m working on with him.”

Ruby squealed. “His house? You have to tell me all about it! How long have you been there?”

“Shush! It’s going on 3 hours now. He has a rather large estate so it’s taking a lot of time.”

“I bet he has!” Ruby’s tone was dripping with suggestion.

Belle looked around to confirm that Rum was nowhere in sight. She sighed in relief and then giggled. She should have known that Ruby would twist her words. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“But you wish it was,” Ruby retorted.

“I have to go.” Belle knew better than to have this conversation with Gold close by. “I’ll see you later.” She ended the call and turned to find Rum approaching her.

“All set. I’m meeting Ruby later for a girl’s night in,” she explained.

He seemed to be thinking deeply about something, probably what he had left to attend to, until he gestured to a bench by one of the rose beds. “Shall we?” 

Once they were seated, the first thing Gold noticed was how short her skirt was. He’d managed to avoid staring at her legs since she’d arrived on his doorstep, but their close side by side proximity was making that nearly impossible. When she stretched out her legs revealing her bare feet (he vaguely remembered her mentioning that she wanted to feel the grass between her toes), his brain stopped functioning.

“Are you OK, Rum?” It wasn’t until she nudged him that he was able to pull himself together.

“I’m fine, Belle.” He searched his brain for something to say, anything to turn his thoughts in a different direction.

“How’s Miss Lucas?” he asked. Yes, talking about Miss Lucas was a sure way to crush any inappropriate thoughts about Belle.

“I think she’s overworked. That’s why we’re staying in tonight.”

Gold visibly relaxed. He could have this conversation. “Certainly preferable to that Den of Iniquity known as the Rabbit Hole.”

Belle laughed. She found Gold’s disdain for the Rabbit Hole amusing. 

When Rum laughed along with her, she decided that this was her opportunity to broach a subject that had been on her mind. “By the way, Ruby thinks your real name is Rumford or Rummond.”

“Excellent. Nothing there to spark her interest. Miss Lucas can be annoyingly persistent when it comes to tracking down town gossip.”

“I can be annoyingly persistent about certain things too,” Belle stated.

“I’m well aware of that, Miss French. It was apparent to me from our first meeting.” He graced her with a shark-like smile that made her laugh.

“Anyway, I’ve been thinking about your real name.” She chewed on her lower lip while she waited for his response.

“Ah… you have some questions… perhaps some observations.” He smiled smugly at her.

“How did you know?” she asked even though she was getting used to his remarkable intuition about everything that didn’t involve how she felt about him.

He chuckled. “Because you’re very perceptive and astute, Belle. So you’ve noticed some similarities between me and my namesake?”

“Yes.”

“Let me enlighten you.” Yes, this was good. Talking about his name would most definitely keep his mind off of Belle’s smooth, soft, bare legs and delectable little toes. 

He took a deep breath. “First, I should mention that my father spelled the name incorrectly on my birth certificate - the fairy tale character is R-U-M-P-E-L. My name is R-U-M-P-L-E. But that’s neither here nor there.”

“It makes your name even more unique. I like that.” Belle could tell that despite his denial, his father’s mistake bothered him. 

“Thank you, Belle.” He was amazed how she was always able to make him see things in a different and more positive light.

“Anyway, as much as I always hated my name, and most likely because of it, I spent an inordinate amount of time reading every version of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale that I could get my hands on when I was a lad. I think I was looking for something good to latch onto about the character, but that proved to be elusive. I could never decide if I should view him as a villain or feel sorry for him.” 

He paused to gauge Belle’s reaction and she placed her hand on his arm to encourage him to continue.

“I never faulted him for his deals. I rather liked them even at a young age.” He grinned at her and she giggled. 

“But as I got older I wondered why he wanted the things he asked for since he could probably have anything he wanted with all the gold he spun. It was as though he wanted to see just how far someone would go to get what they wanted. Had he made some kind of deal in desperation at some point in his life? Anyway, I always blamed him for his final demise since it was his own cockiness that allowed the miller’s daughter to find out his name.”

Belle wondered if he had ever done anything out of desperation himself, but decided that this definitely wasn’t the time to ask him. Instead she opted to keep her comments more neutral. “So you liked the idea of dealmaking even as a young boy?”

“I always felt powerless so I think I liked how much power the dealmaker wielded.”

“That makes sense,” Belle commented.

“I can’t say that I consciously pursued deals, but when I became an attorney and realized how much I enjoyed crafting the minute details that could tilt a contract into one’s favor, I transferred those skills to acquiring real estate and antiques. Eventually making deals became second nature to me.”

“You also kept your name secret like the fairy tale. You told me that not using your first name gave you a sense of power,” Belle reminded him. 

“Ah… you didn’t forget. You may have noticed that I’m less than forthcoming about many things.” 

Belle bit her lip and nodded her head. “I have.”

“If nothing else, the Rumpelstiltskin tale taught me to play my cards close to my chest. You don’t want to give away anything that could lead to your undoing. Plus, it always keeps the person you’re dealing with on edge if they feel as if there’s something they’re missing. I’ve learned my lesson and it’s served me well.”

“I’m taking notes,” Belle informed him with a smirk on her lips.

“Trying to use my methods to beat me at my own game?” 

“Something like that.” She smiled sweetly at him. “You know you also made a deal with me about a necklace.” Her hand went to the locket around her neck. “Rumpelstiltskin dealt for a necklace in the fairy tale, except you gave me a necklace instead of taking one from me.”

Gold looked surprised. “You’re right, Belle. I hadn’t even thought of that.” Then a wicked expression appeared on his face. “I promise I won’t try to deal with you for your first-born child.”

Belle giggled even as she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. For some reason, the first thought that came to her was that If things went the way she wanted to with her and Gold, he wouldn’t have to deal for her first-born; he’d be the father. Her blush deepened dramatically. What was she thinking? They hadn’t even been on a first date yet.

“Have I satisfied your curiosity, Miss French?”

Belle welcomed the chance to change the subject. “Just one more question… Tell me, Mr. Gold, can you spin straw into gold?” She tried to keep a straight face as she asked, but failed.

“Well… I can’t spin straw into gold, but I do spin.” 

“You do?” Belle was surprised. “With a spinning wheel?” She thought back to the antique book about textiles that he had purchased from the library.

“Yes, but that’s a story for another day. I think we may have lost track of time. I know you have brownies to bake.” 

“Oh! You’re right,” Belle agreed when she checked the time. “This has been a wonderful day, Rum. Thank you so much for everything!” 

Gold knew that if he wanted to do the brave thing that he’d been thinking about earlier, he’d have to do it now. He felt for the tool that he’d secreted in his pocket while Belle was on the phone. “There’s one more thing, Belle. I’ll be right back.”

Belle watched him head off, curious as to what he was doing. She slipped her shoes back on and strolled a few feet to check out a piece of statuary that was nearby.

When she turned around again Rum was walking slowly towards her with his free hand behind his back.

“Hey,” he said, suddenly feeling shy.

“Hey,” she responded. 

They stood looking at one another until Gold moved his arm forward and presented her with a beautiful salmon-colored rose. “For you, Belle - if you’ll have it.”

Belle was delighted. This was totally unexpected. “Why, thank you.” She curtsied, and he, being the gentleman that he was, bowed in response.

“This is lovely! Thank you so much, Rum!” Her heart was beating rapidly. She knew that it had taken a lot for Gold to give her the rose. She also knew that she needed to tread lightly if she didn’t want to scare him off. It probably wasn’t the time to tell him that a salmon colored rose was the perfect symbol for a budding romance.

“I wanted you to have one to take home with you.” Gold’s heart was almost beating out of his chest. He’d been extremely nervous about giving Belle the rose, afraid that she’d think he’d overstepped a boundary. He should have known that she’d graciously accept it. 

She placed her hand on his forearm and rose up to kiss him on the cheek. 

Gold froze and his mind went blank. Belle had now kissed him twice, once on each cheek, and they were both tingling. He was barely able to guide her back to the house where she gathered up Snowball and they said their good-byes. He was already having trouble keeping his dreams in check. He was afraid that after this day with Belle, and her unexpected kiss, his dreams would veer into R-rated territory, making it even more difficult for him to remember that he and Belle were just friends.


	19. S is for Spinning Wheel, Story, Sharing and Son

Belle had barely walked through the door before Ruby bombarded her. “OK, girl, let’s hear it. I need to know everything.”

“Can I at least put the brownies and wine down?” Belle was already prepared for her friend’s onslaught. She knew that Ruby would be all over her about Rum and his house.

“OK… OK...” Ruby took the wine from her and asked Belle to place the brownies on the coffee table in her living area. The table was already covered with snack foods that they’d substitute for dinner. Ruby poured them each a glass of wine and then sat across from her friend.

“So? When did this all come about? I can’t believe he invited you to his house!” Ruby asked before she even took a sip of wine. 

Belle knew that she couldn’t stall much longer, but she was not about to rush. She wanted to share so much of what she’d learned with Ruby, but she also didn’t want to reveal any of Rum’s secrets. He’d entrusted a lot to her and she did not take that lightly. She took a sip of wine to gather her thoughts and then answered her friend.

“He didn’t actually invite me over. He found Snowball on his front porch when he got home from Boston and called to let me know. I had to go there to pick her up.”

“What?” Ruby bent over with laughter. “That cat has more sense than the two of you combined. Even she knows that you belong together and she’s trying to push things along.”

Belle had to laugh in spite of herself. “I guess she has been helpful even though I don’t know how she found his house. That’s a mystery. But once I got there, he invited me in for tea and then that led to us taking a tour to see the antiques that he stores there.”

“Hmmm… how convenient,” Ruby remarked.

“That’s all there was to it,” Belle protested. “He had no ulterior motives. We had tea and then toured his house and grounds.” She stopped to glare at her friend. “Oh… and he gave me a rose from his garden before I left.” Belle felt the heat rising to her cheeks.

Ruby flashed a triumphant smile that was getting all too common. “Really? And you don’t think that means anything?”

Belle took a minute to respond. “I don’t know what to think. I’m pretty sure he has feelings for me, but he’s either fighting them for some reason or he really just wants us to be friends.”

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Belle, and friendship is the farthest thing from his mind.”

“We’ll see. I know you don’t think so, but as far as I’m concerned we’re making progress. I’ve been dropping enough hints to him about how I feel, but he’s slow on the uptake.”

“No kidding! It’s exasperating! Even Snowball’s more perceptive than he is. She’s on the same page as I am - anxious to get things moving.”

Belle giggled. It was funny but it wasn’t. Rum was probably _too_ much of a gentleman. Maybe she needed to spell things out for him a little more clearly.

“Anyway… did you get a good look at his bedroom? Anything kinky in there?”

“Ruby!” Belle protested. “He didn’t show it to me. He passed by his bedroom and one other room saying that there was nothing of interest in them.”

“Ha! I wonder what he’s hiding.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing. I told you how old-fashioned he is. He probably thought that showing me his bedroom would be inappropriate.”

“Ugh! He’s no fun! You really need to get working on him.”

“I will. Now enough about me. What’s been going on with you and the rest of the town? I feel as though I’ve been out of the loop.”

Ruby knew that Belle was deflecting, but let it slide. She’d circle back to her new favorite topic later.

________________________________________________________________

Gold woke up with a start. He’d slept fitfully all night, his dreams veering into territory too pleasurable to resist, but too inappropriate not to rack him with guilt. It had been bad enough that his mind kept straying to Belle’s long bare legs as he followed them from her tantalizing toes up to and under her skirt, but when his last dream found her lying in his bed with her soft naked body clinging to his equally naked form, he knew that he was doomed. What would she think if she ever found out? How was he going to face her?

He rose from his bed and hobbled into the bathroom. The long tour of his house and grounds the day before had taken a toll on his leg, but he barely noticed it due to the tingling in both of his cheeks and in another part of his body that he refused to acknowledge. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, his eyes glued to the trace of lipstick that lingered from the previous day’s kiss. Once again he had elected to leave it overnight and he now blamed that for his current state. He forced himself away from the mirror and entered the shower determined to wash away the lipstick and any inappropriate thoughts about Belle. 

When he finally emerged from the shower, he examined his reflection again, and was satisfied that he’d erased the lipstick from his cheek even though the tingling remained. He sighed. His feelings for Belle were growing and he wasn’t sure how to stop them. As he exited the bathroom and entered his bedroom, the sight of his spinning wheel gave him pause. The heirloom, that he used to help himself forget, actually served in this moment to remind him of two things: he owed Belle a story about it and he had a son who was not much older than Belle. In other words, he was old enough to be her father. He latched onto that thought in his effort to corral his feelings for her. They could be friends (he was too weak to give that up), but anything else was surely just a dream on his part and would be unwelcome to the lovely young woman. She’d already been gracious to a fault and he would not take advantage of her good nature.

With that thought grounding him, he finished preparing for the day ahead. Belle was coming to the shop that afternoon to make up for some of the time they’d lost the day before and he needed to be on his best behavior.

_____________________________________________________________

“Is this good, Mr. Gold?” Dove asked as he placed the antique spinning wheel in the corner of the pawnshop’s backroom.

The shop bell tinkled before Gold could reply. He paused to listen and was just about to enter the front of the shop when he heard Belle’s voice.

“Rum? Are you in here?” she called as she pulled aside the curtain leading to the back.

“Hey,” she greeted him with a smile. 

His heart fluttered in spite of his best intentions as their eyes locked and he returned her greeting.

It wasn’t until she looked up that she saw Dove towering behind him.

“Oh! Raymond! So nice to see you!” Her smile widened. “It’s been a while.”

Dove blushed. “Good afternoon, Miss Belle.” A slight smile appeared on his face until Gold cleared his throat.

“Sir?” Dove’s eyes landed on the spinning wheel as he waited for Gold’s answer.

“Very good, Dove. That will be all. Thank you.” He knew he was losing his touch when he didn’t even glare at the man who had just witnessed his interchange with Miss French.

“Good bye, Dove. I hope you’ll stop by the library one of these days. I don’t think you’ve registered for a library card yet.” Belle smiled sweetly and Dove's blush deepened.

“Yes, Miss Belle. I will.” He nodded his good-byes and scurried out of there. Gold felt exonerated. He may have fallen short in his dealings with Dove, but Belle had embarrassed the man enough to make up for it.

‘Well, don’t _you_ look smug?” Belle commented.

Gold chuckled. “Dove’s not comfortable receiving attention from a beautiful woman.” This was the second time he’d told her she was beautiful. Not a good start to keeping things between them on a friendly basis. 

Belle's cheeks turned pink at the compliment. “Thank you, Rum. He is a bit bashful around women.” She bit down on her lower lip while looking into his eyes.

Gold stood there as if spellbound until he finally remembered the spinning wheel that was sitting behind him. “I, uh, I have something I want to show you, Belle.” He moved to the side so that she could see the item in the corner of the room.

“A spinning wheel! Is this the one you spin on?” Belle slipped by Gold to get a better look. 

“Yes. I asked Dove to bring it to the shop for me. I didn’t get a chance to show it to you while we were at my house.” 

“It’s beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one up close like this. May I?” She asked before touching it.

“Of course.” He was almost sorry that he’d granted her permission when she ran her hands and fingers over it in a way that made his thoughts go places they didn’t belong.

“You were going to tell me about your spinning,” she reminded him and he was grateful for the chance to focus on something else.

“Yes,” he agreed, already feeling more relaxed. “This spinning wheel has been in my mother’s family since the 17th century and I still use it today.” 

“That’s amazing, Rum.”

“It is. I told you that my mother’s family were spinners. Well, some of them kept up the craft for many years after it became antiquated. My mother wasn’t in my life from the time I was an infant, so her sisters, my aunts, pretty much raised me. Neither ever married nor had children of their own so they doted on me and taught me to spin like they did. They were so taken with my abilities that it made me want to excel and make them proud. I became extremely proficient at spinning and I even took great comfort in it.”

Belle felt herself choking up. Knowing about the bullying that Rum had suffered as a child, she could just picture him as a young boy craving his aunts’ approval. She wanted to ask what had happened to both his mother and father to leave him in his aunts’ care, but felt that it would be too personal.

“Your aunts sound like wonderful people.” 

“They were. I have very fond memories of them.”

“And you still spin to this day?”

“Yes, sometimes I spin for hours. It helps me forget.”

“Forget what?” Belle asked even though she thought she might be overstepping.

Gold paused to think and then a tiny grin appeared on his face. “I forgot... I guess it works.”

Belle had not expected that answer. She was taken aback for a second and then giggled even as she accepted that he did not want to answer.

He basked in her enjoyment of his quip, but then decided that he had to tell her about his son. It was one of the few things at this point reminding him that he and Belle were and needed to remain just friends.

“I’ve made many mistakes in my life, Belle, and even though I never want to forget them enough to repeat them, for my own peace of mind I sometimes need to forget them for a while.”

Belle placed her hand on his arm sensing that he had something important he wanted to tell her.

“I have a grown son with whom I’ve had a strained relationship for years. It’s only recently that we’ve begun the healing process.”

Though she was surprised, Belle was not shocked. She’d wondered if he’d ever been married before or if he had any grown children. The difference in their ages had made that very possible. It was also something that she knew would definitely influence the way he viewed her.

When she didn’t respond immediately, Gold felt the need to elaborate. “His name is Bae, short for Baden, but he legally changed it to Neal Cassidy after he came of age.” Belle could see that he was struggling with his emotions before he continued. “In his first year of college, his girlfriend became pregnant, and I reacted to the situation in a way that damaged our already tenuous relationship. Let’s just say that he cut ties with me for a while and it’s taken many years to slowly repair what was torn asunder. I regret the time I lost with him and his family every day.”

“I’m so sorry, Rum. I’m sure you were just trying to protect him.” Belle tried to reassure him.

“That’s what I told myself, but it took me quite a while to see that I wasn’t necessarily acting in his best interests. I wanted to control a situation in which I wasn’t the primary player.”

“But your relationship is getting better?” Belle tried to direct him to the positive.

“Yes, thanks to my daughter-in-law, Emma, and my grandson, Henry. They’ve been very instrumental in bringing us back together and I’m eternally grateful for it.”

Belle had so much to digest. Rum not only had a son, but a grandson also. “I don’t remember your son.” She hoped to garner more info without asking outright.

“He’s never stepped foot in Storybrooke. I established a presence in this town years before I settled here permanently. When I bought the house, it was meant to be home for me and my then wife and son. Bae was 11 at the time and after moving around for most of his life, I wanted us to have a place where we could all settle down, but it wasn’t meant to be. Milah, my ex, had other plans. I continued to establish myself in Storybrooke by purchasing real estate, renting properties, and making myself known to the residents while I was still living her nomadic lifestyle. By the time Bae was 14, we were divorced and I was living where I could be close to him. I finally moved here for good when Bae entered college.”

“And he never visited you here…,” Belle added for him. 

Gold nodded.

“How old is Henry?” Belle asked.

“He just turned 11. Bae was 18 when Henry was born so he was of legal age, but I viewed him as a child who needed my protection.”

“Of course you did, he was still your child,” Belle answered while calculating Bae’s age. He was 29 which made her a few years younger than he was. She was sure that Rum was very aware of that fact and that it probably had a lot to do with the way he felt about their relationship. 

“In the end, Bae made the right decision for himself,” Gold admitted.

“He reminds me of myself,” Belle said watching Gold carefully as she spoke. “My father always wanted what was best for me after my mom died, but that wasn’t always what I thought was best. I wanted to make my own decisions and had a saying for it.” Belle chewed on her lower lip.

“And what was that, Belle?” he asked.

“No one decides my fate but me,” she replied.

Gold laughed. “I’m not surprised.” He grinned at her and then asked, “Did you ever think that maybe he had more wisdom due to his age and experience?”

“I never said I didn’t listen to him. I always considered what he said, but he wasn’t me and what was right for him wasn’t always right for me. I don’t put a lot of stock into age. It’s really just a number.”

The way her eyes met his and held his gaze made him think that she was trying to tell him something. He cleared his throat before answering. “I believe that for some people that may be true.” He realized that it was true for Belle. He very seldom thought about her age when he was with her. She always felt like his contemporary.

“You said that Bae has never been to Storybrooke? Do you visit him?” she asked breaking the silence.

“Yes. I’ve been visiting them at their home in Tallahassee for several years now. I close down the shop for the week and head south. My hope is that they’ll also visit me in Storybrooke this year, preferably at Christmas. Henry’s extremely anxious to see lots of snow.” He smiled fondly.

“Oh, Rum, I hope that happens. It would be so wonderful for you.”

“Thank you, Belle… and thank you for listening.” He’d wanted to tell her about his son, but he had not anticipated that he’d share so much with her. 

“I loved hearing about your family... and your spinning.” She smiled at him while placing her hand on his forearm. 

“Ah, yes… my spinning. That’s where this all started.”

“You know, I was hoping I’d get the chance to see you in action.” Belle still had many questions for him, but she knew that they could wait for another day. 

“Would you now?” Gold asked, the worried look on his face transforming into one of amusement.

“It must feel like you’re living a piece of history when you spin. I can’t imagine what that’s like.”

“Well, Miss French, I think I sense another deal coming on.” The gleam in his eyes made her laugh.

“And what exactly is that, Mr. Gold?”

“I’ll let you take the wheel for a spin if you teach me how to text. My son and grandson are appalled by my technological inadequacies.” His grin was a combination of predator and prey.

Belle giggled even as her heart swelled. He was including her in something that involved his family. “Well we can’t have that, can we? I accept your terms, Mr. Gold.” 

She offered him her hand to seal the deal. When he clasped it in his he knew that he had failed miserably. Despite his best efforts to the contrary, he had to accept the undeniable fact that his feelings for Belle were much more complicated than friendship.


	20. T is for Telltale Signs, Teaching, Texting, Trust and True Love

“Oh! Hi David!” Belle was so lost in her own thoughts that she almost ran right into David Nolan as she exited Mr. Gold’s pawnshop.

“Hi Belle. How are you?” David held the door open to let her out onto the sidewalk.

“Things are really great right now! The library’s up and running and I’ve been busy with some other intriguing projects,” she answered while thinking of the man who owned the shop behind them. “How are you and Mary Margaret doing? I’m supposed to get together with her for lunch this week.”

“All’s good with us. I’m sure Mary Margaret will give you the details when you see her. She hates it if she’s not the first one to share new news.” He laughed and Belle could see his love for the woman shining through.

Belle giggled. She knew he spoke the truth. “Well, it was nice seeing you. I’ll let you get back to business. Tell Mary Margaret I said hi.” He was wearing his sheriff’s badge so she knew he was on duty.

“Take care, Belle.” He watched her walk away and then entered the shop.

Gold was standing behind the counter as if waiting to greet him. “Good afternoon, Sheriff. How may I be of assistance?”

“Gold, I’m looking for a stolen item. Can you take a look?” He revealed a photo of a drinking stein.

Gold recognized it immediately. “I sold that to the pharmacist, Mr. Clark, several months ago. He was quite adamant about purchasing it at the time. It’s not of any significant material value.”

“Yeah, I know. He just wants it back. Says it’s a part of his collection.”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you, Sheriff, but I’ll let you know if I get wind of it.”

“Thanks, Gold.” He was about to leave when Gold stopped him short.

“Look, uh… Can I ask you a question? A-about you and Mrs. Nolan? H-how did you know that she was interested in you?”

David was stunned. He was not sure he had heard the pawnbroker correctly. “Are you asking me for dating advice?”

“Of course not. No.” Gold answered vehemently.

David’s smirk belied the fact that he did not believe him. “Listen Gold. It’s not always easy and you might have to take a risk, but there are certain telltale signs you should look for.”

Gold stood perfectly still, almost not breathing, as he willed the younger man to continue.

“For instance, does she seem happy to spend time with you or look for ways for you to be together? Does she listen intently to everything you say? Does she laugh at your stupid jokes?”

Gold glared at him and David felt the need to explain. “I’m not saying your jokes are stupid, Gold. I’m just talking in general.”

Gold relaxed and David continued. “Does she make it a point to touch you? Does she blush at your compliments and compliment you in return? Does she ever get shy in your presence?”

Gold tried to look indifferent, but was hanging on every word.

“The bottom line is that you have to trust your instincts. If you’re showing an interest in her and she’s not putting up boundaries, you can be pretty sure that she’s probably interested in you too. You know, if you don’t take a chance, you might miss out on true love.”

“Mr. Nolan, I’m sure that you and Mrs. Nolan are a true love match, but that has nothing to do with the likes of me,” Gold snarled.

“I wouldn’t say that, Gold. Even the beast found true love in the fairy tale.”

Gold glared at him again even as his heart skipped a beat. As ridiculous as it was, he couldn’t help thinking that he was often referred to as the Beast of Storybrooke by the town’s residents. 

“Oh, and by the way,” David added, “if we’re talking about Belle French, I can save you some time. I’m pretty sure she’s interested.”

Gold watched Nolan’s smirk transform into a Cheshire cat grin. “Have a good afternoon, Mr. Gold. Thanks for your assistance and you’re welcome.” He hightailed it out of there before Gold could open his mouth to respond.

_____________________________________________________________________

Gold’s mind had been in a muddle since that afternoon when Belle had left the shop and he’d turned to David Nolan for advice. He groaned. What had he been thinking? He’d for all intents and purposes as much as confessed his feelings for Miss French to a virtual stranger. Well, maybe not a stranger. David Nolan was probably one of the few people in town he actually trusted. The man could be obtuse at times, but he was certainly 100 times more knowledgeable about matters of the heart than he was. And, if he was being honest with himself, the sheriff’s advice had not been bad. The only thing he really questioned, other than the absurdity of the true love nonsense, were Nolan’s final words. There was no way the man knew how Belle French felt about him.

He poured Scotch into a glass and stared at the amber contents. He thought back to earlier that day when he and Belle had spent hours teaching one another about spinning and texting. She had been filled with compliments about his talents, hanging onto his every word as he taught her the basics of using the wheel. And when he had to sit next to her and put his arm around her to guide her, she had leaned into him welcoming the physical contact. It had been all he could do not to enfold her in his arms and profess his feelings to her at that very moment.

And when it had been her turn to play teacher, she had been exceedingly patient with him as he tried to master the basics of texting, laughing as always at his self-deprecating and silly jokes. “I’m all thumbs, Belle. Sorry it’s not in a good way.” She’d giggled and he’d been so proud of his humor. Well, it _was_ funny - David Nolan be damned.

And it had been that way since they’d met. She seemed to enjoy spending time with him, being in close physical contact, laughing at his jokes, listening to his stories, sharing the good and bad with him. She seemed to trust him and he trusted her, so much so that he’d opened up to her about his name, his son, his marriage, all things that he’d never shared with anyone before her. He just wished he could be certain that there was more to it than friendship. He’d be appalled if he misread her feelings and ruined what they had. In the end he would have to do what Nolan said and trust his instincts. He would have to take a leap of faith at some point if he truly wanted to have a chance with her.

“Do the brave thing and bravery will follow.” He repeated Belle’s mantra hoping to find the courage to follow his heart. Suddenly an idea came to mind. He would try to text Belle so that she’d at least know that he was thinking about her. He opened his phone and painstakingly followed Belle’s directions. 

He stressed over what to say, finally deciding on something as short and simple as possible.  
“Thank you for a lovely day, Belle. Sleep well.” He pressed the send key before he could change his mind and waited to see if she would respond.  
____________________________________________________________________

Belle had been on a high for two days now. As she prepared for bed, she couldn’t help but notice that she was still smiling and had been doing so since she’d left Rum’s shop earlier that day. She was going to burst if she didn’t share her happiness with someone. She set her sights on Snowball who was curled in a ball at the bottom of the bed, watching her with eyes that were barely open slits.

“You know I have to thank you for everything that’s happened since yesterday,” she addressed the cat who let out a small squeak as if in reply.

“I had the most wonderful two days with Rum and they wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t end up on his porch.” Snowball purred contentedly as Belle pet her head. 

Belle thought back to her day at Rum’s house and then shifted to the current day and the time they’d spent together spinning and texting and talking and laughing. Her heart fluttered when she replayed how Rum had put his arm around her to help her spin and how he hadn’t shied away when she’d snuggled up against him. Only a short time ago he would have stiffened and pulled away. She laughed as she recalled the jokes he’d made at his own expense and smiled as she recalled his patience while teaching her.

“You know, I think we really made a lot of progress today,” she said to the purring cat.

Snowball raised her head and yawned. It made her think of Ruby rolling her eyes. “I’m sorry, but we really did make progress. He even told me about his son today. That has to mean that he trusts me. Rum’s a very private man who doesn’t share himself easily. You and Ruby don’t know him the way I do.”

Then she giggled. Was she really defending herself to a cat? This was Ruby’s fault. She was the one who had insisted that Snowball was anxious for her and Rum to get together.

“Speak of the devil,” she said aloud as she heard the buzz announcing that she’d received a text. 

“Oh!” She was more than pleasantly surprised when she saw that the text was from Rum, not Ruby. Her heart pounded as she read the message. He had taken the initiative to contact her at this late hour and it spoke volumes to her. 

She quickly composed an answer, knowing that he would be nervously waiting for a reply. “Congrats on your first official text! And thank you too! It was a perfect afternoon in every way. Sweet dreams!” 

She was about to send it when she decided to add a smiley face and a blowing kiss emoji (she couldn’t resist) even though she knew that he would not be able to decipher them on his flip phone. They’d tested a few texts and the flip phone converted the emojis into other symbols. She thought he might be able to identify the basic smiley face conversion that they’d tested more than once, but she knew that he would not be able to decipher the blowing kiss. He’d have to ask her about that one if he wanted to know what it meant. She checked the text one last time and sent it off to him.

________________________________________________________________

Gold, who had been staring at his phone since he sent the text to Belle, was startled when her response appeared. He’d almost forgotten how fast she was and how painfully slow he was, especially with the limitations of the flip phone that Belle had explained to him.

When he read her response, his heart soared. She’d called the day ‘perfect’ and added the smiley face symbol that they shared as an inside joke, making him laugh. There was also another symbol that he did not recognize. He wondered what it was and why Belle had sent it. She knew that his phone couldn’t process these emojis as she called them (if it wasn’t for Belle he’d truly hate these things). His heart stuttered. Maybe it was another telltale sign. Of course he wouldn’t know unless he asked her. He decided to wait until he saw her in person. For now he could pretend that it had some special meaning that would make everything between them clear.

He closed his phone and his eyes at the same time. He didn’t think there was any point in going up to bed. His mind was still too active. He’d sit here with his Scotch and think about Belle French.


	21. U is for Uncharacteristic, Unexpected, Unprecedented, Unbelievable and Umbrella

“You’re not gonna believe this,” Neal announced as he walked into the kitchen where his wife, Emma, was sitting at the counter reading the morning paper.

“What?” she asked without looking up.

“Something very uncharacteristic, unexpected and unprecedented just happened.” He smirked as he said it, knowing that his words would get her attention.

“What?” she raised her head as he’d predicted. “You just learned three new multi-syllable words that begin with ‘U’?

Neal snickered. “Even more unbelievable than that.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m stumped.”

“My father texted me. Twice within the last 15 minutes.” 

“What!? she asked for the third time that morning. “I thought he didn’t text and didn’t want to learn how. He’s been so stubborn about it. Plus I’m not even sure you can text with that old flip-phone of his.” 

“Yeah, I know. Said something about lessons with the town librarian.”

“That poor person. Can you imagine teaching a class with your father in it?” Emma shuddered.

Neal chuckled. “I can’t picture him taking a class. He probably rigged some deal to get private lessons - either the librarian taught him to text or he would refuse to pay his overdue fines.” He laughed at his own joke.

Emma laughed in spite of herself. She didn’t want to tell him, but she saw more of his father in him everyday. 

___________________________________________________________________

Gold looked at his watch and groaned. Where had the day gone? He’d had every intention of stopping by the library to see Belle, but what with the time spent amending and finalizing the contract he’d negotiated the previous week, and the sudden onslaught of tourists that always seemed to end up in his shop when it rained, the day had gotten away from him. It was now 7:00 PM and the library would be closed.

Belle… Just the thought of her brought a smile to his face. He’d wanted to tell her that he’d texted Bae that morning and share a laugh with her about how shocked his son had been. He could picture how she’d smile and how proud she would be of his progress. 

Well, now it would have to wait until tomorrow. It was late and he was exhausted. His lack of sleep the previous night had caught up with him. He’d stop by the diner to get a take-out order of Granny’s chicken noodle soup to take home. It was a comfort food that he craved on this damp rainy day. And maybe, after he’d had his dinner, he’d send Belle another text just to say hello.

He retrieved his over-sized umbrella, locked up the shop, and walked the short distance to the diner. His leg was killing him from the dampness, but walking was easier than getting in and out of the car in the rain.

When Gold opened the restaurant door, he was surprised to see that it was filled to capacity. He stepped inside and the loud din that had greeted him muted to a whisper. Gold grinned to himself. Evidently his reputation was still intact. He placed his umbrella in the receptacle that was located next to the door. He scanned the room, congratulating himself on how everyone was pretending to be too absorbed in their food to make eye contact with him. He finally turned to the counter, noting how the noise level began to increase behind him.

“Rum!” Her voice took his breath away even before he saw her. She was sitting on the end stool holding an iced tea in her hand.

“Belle… I, uh, I was going to stop by the library today, but the time got away from me.”

“Really?” A look of hope appeared on her face.

“You’re just in time, Gold,” Ruby interrupted as she passed by them with an armful of plates. “Belle forgot her umbrella and needs someone to walk her home. She’s been trying to wait out the rain, but it doesn’t look like it’s stopping.”

“Ruby!” Belle shot her friend a warning look.

Ruby smiled widely. “No need for either of you to thank me.” She turned to Gold. “A bowl of the chicken noodle to go?”

Gold debated changing his order just to prove her wrong, but he wanted that soup and hated to deny himself. “Yes,” he answered through gritted teeth. “With bread instead of crackers,” he added just to throw her off. 

Belle’s giggle brought his attention back to her. The tension in his body subsided as they smiled at one another. “I’d be honored to walk you back to the library, Belle. We can both fit very comfortably under my umbrella.”

“Thank you, Rum. I appreciate it. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to get soaked.” She paused to look deeply into his eyes. “You were going to stop by to see me today?”

Gold was so lost in her eyes that he almost had to shake himself to answer. “Y-yes. I wanted to tell you something.”

“Here you go.” Ruby held the bag with his order out to him. 

“Thank you, Miss Lucas.” 

While Gold settled the bill, Belle got down from her stool and stood waiting for him. It wasn’t until they said their good-byes to Ruby and were standing by the door together, that Gold realized that the diner had gone silent again. His heart stopped. They were all watching him and Belle. Well, there was no reason for anyone to think they were leaving together. It could all be purely coincidental.

Belle, however, evidently had no such qualms. “Let me carry the bag for you. This way we can hold onto the umbrella together,” she suggested while they were still standing inside the diner where the nearby patrons could hear her.

Gold’s heart stopped again. Could this be another telltale sign? Belle didn’t seem to mind that most of the townsfolk were witnessing her being very familiar with the town monster. Not that she had ever seemed to care. It’s just that they’d been practically alone the other times they’d been in public together. He didn’t have time to think too long on it before they were out the door and snuggled against each other under the umbrella with their hands clasped together on the handle.

“This is nice. I always liked walking in the rain.” Belle’s words calmed his nerves. “You were starting to tell me something when we were in the diner,” she reminded him.

Gold forced himself to breathe. “Yes, I was.” He immediately felt better as his thoughts turned to his son. “I texted Bae this morning.” He paused to watch her reaction.

“You did? That’s wonderful, Rum! I’m so proud of you!” she gushed.

A warmth enveloped him at her words. He allowed himself to enjoy it a second before continuing. “Needless to say, he was shocked.”

Belle laughed and Gold laughed with her. “I told him that I’d had lessons from the town librarian.” He smiled at her.

Belle’s heart skipped a beat. Rum had mentioned her to his son. “He must have had a bunch of questions for you,” she commented nervously.

“Most definitely. He’s calling me tomorrow so that we can talk. It would take me all day to correspond via text.” He laughed at himself.

Belle giggled as she thought back to Gold’s method of texting combined with the limitations of his phone. “I’ll have to agree with you on that.”

“Oh, really? I thought I was your prize pupil.” He pretended to be offended.

“Oh, you are. I promise.” She felt happy and content even with her heart all aflutter.

They walked along silently for a short distance, reaching the covered entrance to the library much too soon. Belle reluctantly removed her hand from his and moved away from his side.

“Thank you, kind sir, for escorting me back home through the storm.” She curtsied to him as she had when he’d given her the rose.

“It was my pleasure, my lady.” He attempted to bow, but the umbrella got in the way causing them both to laugh.

“There’s something I wanted to ask you.” Gold lowered the umbrella and turned to face her. “It’s about the text you sent me last night. I recognized the smiley face, my favorite,” he teased her, “but I couldn’t decipher the other one.”

Belle’s cheeks flushed. She’d been expecting his question, but now that they were face to face, she felt herself wavering.

“It was a smiley face blowing a kiss.” She said it while looking directly into his eyes and her courage returned.

“Oh.” Gold was not prepared for her answer. His mind turned blank as he searched for a response. A thought popped into his brain. It was a risk, but he knew he had to take it. “Do the brave thing,” he repeated to himself.

“Well, then, l was remiss not to reply.” His hand shook as he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips, grazing her knuckles with the gentlest of kisses.


	22. V is for Version, Vow, Visit and Vision

Gold’s hand had not stopped shaking since he’d taken Belle’s hand in his the previous evening and raised it to his lips. He, Rumplestiltskin Gold, had kissed the hand of the lovely Miss French and she had neither flinched nor made light of it. Instead, she’d blushed in the most enchanting way and had seemed truly pleased by his gesture. Perhaps David Nolan was right, and maybe, just maybe, Belle was interested in him as more than a friend. He was still uncertain about her feelings, but a glimmer of hope had taken hold of him and he was determined to see things through. He would just proceed very slowly and cautiously.

When his phone rang, his heart leapt into his throat. He had no reason to think it was Belle, but his mind seemed determined to keep her in the forefront of his thoughts. He opened his phone to see that it was Bae. Funny how his heart still leapt, but in an entirely different way. 

“Bae...” He could hear the hint of desperation in his own voice. They’d made so much progress and yet they still had such a long way to go. How he ached to have his boy back again even though he knew he was being foolish. They were both grown men now and Bae had a family of his own.

“Pops! Are you OK? What’s with this texting?”

Gold’s heart beat faster. He’d heard something in Bae’s voice that belied an interest and concern that had been missing for years. “I’m fine, Bae,” he chuckled. “It’s a long story.” He began pacing the room, anxious to fill his son in on his recent endeavors, while hoping against hope to convince him that this was the year for Bae and his family to finally visit Storybrooke.

____________________________________________________________

“You’re not gonna believe this,” Neal announced to Emma for the second day in a row. 

“I’m guessing this has something to do with your father?” she asked, looking up from her laptop. She was seated at the kitchen counter working on a paper for one of her on-line classes.

“Yep. I just talked to him and something’s up.” 

“Now what?” Emma noted the smirk on Neal’s face, wondering what could be so amusing about her father-in-law.

“He’s not only texting, he’s also installed new inventory software for his shop. And he’s getting a website up and running.”

“OK. This is definitely not like him. But it’s still a good thing, right?” Emma could sense that there was more Neal wasn’t telling her.

“Oh, yeah. It’s great. But I haven’t told you the best part.” He grinned. “The same librarian who taught him to text also helped him install the software and is now helping him with his inventory and website... her name is Belle.”

The look on Neal’s face reassured Emma. “I take it she’s not being coerced into helping him?”

Neal’s grin broadened. “I don’t think so. He must have mentioned her at least 20 times while we were talking. Belle this and Belle that. I think he has a crush on her.”

“Oh my God! I can’t picture it!” Emma scrunched up her nose.

“Hey, me neither, but as bad as it was, he was married to my mother for a long time.”

“Yeah, well, it’s just that he’s him and it’s hard to imagine him all starry-eyed over someone.”

Neal laughed. “You might have hit the nail on the head. That’s how he sounded - starry-eyed. It’s like he’s some new version of himself.”

Emma began typing on her keyboard. “I can probably find a photo of her on the Storybrooke Library website.”

“Great idea! I bet she’s the typical librarian type - all formal, prim, precise and proper. I can see him falling for that.”

“Neal! That’s a stereotype. But yeah, sounds like something your father would like.” She clicked through the screens and then stopped abruptly. “Oh...”

“Oh what?” Neal walked over to look over her shoulder. “Oh!” He was momentarily lost for words.

“Yeah,” Emma agreed, intuitively understanding what Neal was thinking.

“He’s gonna get his heart broken. She’s way out of his league,” Neal stated. “But gorgeous. I can see why he’s smitten.”

“Young too,” Emma added.

“That’s the strangest part. I can’t see him falling for someone so young. What else can you find out about her?”

Emma eyed him curiously. “Why do you want to know?”

Neal shrugged. “I kinda feel bad for him. I don’t want him to get taken in by someone who might be using him.”

“Now you sound like your father,” Emma pointed out.

“Don’t say that! It’s just that she’s young and beautiful. Why would she ever be interested in him? Either he’s harboring an unrequited crush or she’s leading him on. Either way it’s not going to end well,” Neal argued, suddenly uncomfortably aware of how true Emma’s words were.

“You know, it’s possible that she likes him as just a friend or she could be legitimately interested in him. Your father’s a very handsome man who can be extremely charming and funny when he wants to be. I can see someone falling for him.”

“Really? I didn’t know you were such a big fan of his. I thought you just said that you couldn’t picture him with anyone,” Neal teased.

Emma laughed. “I couldn’t picture him falling for anyone. I didn’t say I couldn’t picture anyone falling for him.”

“Ugh!” Neal seemed to be struggling with something. “OK. Then it’s settled.”

“What’s settled?” Emma was perplexed.

“We’re visiting him for Christmas this year. He’s been begging me and I think now is the right time…. as long as you agree,” he added.

Emma rolled her eyes. “Fine. We’ll go.” She’d been trying to get him to go for years now and wasn’t about to object even though she was very suspicious of Neal’s intentions.

“Where are we going?” Henry entered the kitchen, his voice still sleepy from having just awakened.

“We’re going to visit Gramps for Christmas week this year.” Neal answered his son while tousling his already messy hair.

“Awesome!” Henry was suddenly wide awake. “When are we leaving?”

“Whoa! We’re still months away.” Neal laughed. “Did I tell you that Gramps just learned how to text?”

“Cool! Can I text him?”

“I think he’d love that. Just give me a chance to let him know we’re coming.” 

Neal took a deep breath, suddenly realizing the enormity of his decision. He looked at Emma and she smiled at him. She knew that after everything was said and done, he was still his father’s son and this visit was a huge step forward in their relationship.

_________________________________________________________________________

Belle did not think she’d ever be able to focus again. Her stomach had been flip flopping since last night when Rum had so sweetly, and so romantically, kissed her on the hand. It had taken every ounce of her self-control not to swoon on the spot. He’d been so shy and tentative that she’d wanted to throw her arms around him and confess exactly how she felt to him. Fortunately, she’d been able to restrain herself. 

She sighed and made a vow to rein in her impatience while continuing to encourage him with subtle, and maybe some not so subtle, hints. She knew that he needed time to acknowledge and accept what was happening between them, but she also knew that, if left to his own devices, they might never make it to the next level. 

Just as she was about to force her attention back to the computer screen, the library door opened and Rum entered. Her heart stuttered as her eyes met his. She could feel herself breaking into a smile and was relieved when his serious look disappeared behind a smile of his own. Their eyes remained locked until he approached the circulation desk where she was seated.

“Hey,” he greeted her bashfully. His heart was beating out of his chest as he thought back to the previous evening. 

“Hey,” she replied, thrilled that he was standing before her and not hiding away in his shop after last night’s kiss.

Gold shifted his position and leaned on his cane with both hands. “I spoke to Bae this morning...” He paused to swallow the lump in his throat. “and he’s decided to come up to visit me at Christmas this year.” He had planned to preface his announcement with some other pleasantries, but he could not wait to share his news with Belle.

The emotions that were evident on Rum’s face filled Belle with joy. “That’s wonderful! You must be thrilled!” Belle’s heart was nearly bursting for him.

“I am. And much of it’s thanks to you, Belle.” He gripped his cane tighter. “I told him about automating my business and how instrumental you’ve been helping me with everything and he’s anxious to meet you while he’s here. He can’t believe that anyone could have such a good influence over me.” He laughed. “He thought I was pretty much a lost cause.” 

Belle’s feelings were a mixture of pride, joy, and nerves. She was overcome with happiness that Rum had spoken to Neal about her, but was also extremely nervous about meeting Neal, especially since she hoped that she and Rum would be in an established relationship well before Christmas. What would he think of her? She was a few years younger than he was. Would he have a problem with that? She didn’t want to be the cause of any further upset between Rum and his son. 

“I can’t wait for him to meet you, Belle.” The way he said it, with such hope and sincerity, soothed her nerves and buoyed her own hopes.

“And I can’t wait to meet him, either.”

“Thank you, Belle.” They smiled at one another, both very much aware of the fact that they were making some unexpected future plans. 

“You’ll also be happy to know that your prize pupil,” he grinned, “received a text from his grandson, Henry. However, said pupil could not decipher the emojis that his grandson decided to include. They look like some type of math equation.” He retrieved his phone from his pocket.

Belle giggled. “Let me take a look.” She took the phone from him and read the text. “Miss you gramps! Can’t wait to see you! Hope there’s lots of snow!” She laughed as soon as she saw the emojis that Henry had used, understanding Gold’s confusion. 

“Well, the first one’s a heart,” she said. “See how the less than sign and the three look like a heart on its side?” she explained to him. “He’s sending his love to you - that’s so sweet!” She looked up at Gold noting that his eyes had misted over. “And the second one,” she paused for dramatic effect, “is a snowflake!” 

Gold laughed at himself and the snow emoji. “I can see that now. I’m going to have to try to work my magic this year. We can’t let Henry come all the way to Maine and not have snow.”

“No, that wouldn’t do. And you’d better be prepared for snowballs and snowmen and sledding too - I know the best place for sledding.”

“And hot chocolate with cinnamon. Emma and Henry are big fans,” Gold informed her.

“This is going to be a lot of fun, Rum,” Belle assured him, hoping at the same time that she’d be playing a role in some of it.

“Yes...” He believed it would be. He just hoped his vision of that fun, which included Belle being by his side, would become a reality.


	23. W is for Wishing Well, Wish, Woods, Wingman, Weakness, Wait and Wrong

Belle slid into the seat across from Mary Margaret Nolan. “Hi! Sorry I’m late. I taught my first computer class today and there were a lot of questions at the end. I couldn’t get out of there until I scheduled a follow-up for next week.”

“No need to apologize. Sounds like your class was a big success!” Mary Margaret raised her mug of hot chocolate in congratulations.

“Thanks! I’m really pleased by the turnout. I was nervous that nobody would show up.”

“Hi Belle!” Ruby, with pen and pad in hand, sidled up to the table.

“Hi, Ruby.”

“So, what’s new and exciting?” Ruby asked.

“Nothing much other than the new classes I’m teaching at the library,” Belle answered, trying to steer the conversation away from where she knew Ruby wanted it to go.

Ruby smirked. “So what can I get you today?”

“Hmmm... I think I’ll treat myself to the blueberry pancakes. Sort of a way to celebrate how well things are going. Oh, and I’ll also take a slice of blueberry pie to go.” She smiled sweetly at Ruby, knowing that her friend would be wondering exactly what she was celebrating.

“OK. Too bad I can’t join the two of you. We’ll have to catch up later.” 

“Yeah, sounds good,” Belle replied knowing that she was not going to get away with leaving Ruby hanging.

When she turned back to the table, Mary Margaret was looking at her thoughtfully. “So what’s going on with you and Mr. Gold?” 

Belle was caught completely off guard. “What makes you think something’s going on with us?”

Mary Margaret’s tone turned serious. “The whole town’s talking about how you and Gold left here together the other night. They’re saying how cozy you looked sharing the same umbrella.” She leaned forward. “Don’t look now, but everyone’s been watching you since you got here.”

When Belle looked up, a sea of eyes met hers and then quickly darted away. She wasn’t sure how to react.

“I told you!” Mary Margaret whispered loudly.

Belle didn’t know what to think, but she wasn’t about to let town gossip bother her. “I’m not sure what the big deal is. I forgot my umbrella and Rum was kind enough to walk me back to the library with his.”

“OK. You have to give me the details, Belle. I’ve heard enough to know there’s more to it than that. Nobody even knew his first name until you came along and now you’re calling him Rum and he’s walking you home and buying you drinks at the Rabbit Hole.”

Belle groaned to herself. Of course Mary Margaret had heard everything and also hadn’t forgotten about their girls’ night out. But she was not about to jeopardize her budding relationship with Rum by admitting anything to her friend. She loved Mary Margaret dearly, but the woman was incapable of keeping a secret.

“Listen, you’re right. Rum and I made a deal - he helped me out with a couple of library issues and I’m assisting him with some software. We’ve been spending a lot of time together so we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well. He’s not the monster people like to think he is. He’s actually very charming and funny… and he’s been nothing but kind to me.”

Mary Margaret looked elated and disturbed at the same time. “I knew it! You like him!” 

“Mary Margaret,” Belle was about to protest before her friend cut her off. 

“Oh my! And David’s sure he likes you too!”

Belle didn’t know how to respond. She was going to have to try to move things along with Rum a little more quickly. The whole town was talking about them and they weren’t even in an acknowledged relationship yet. “We’re friends, Mary Margaret. Of course I like him and he likes me.”

Mary Margaret appeared to have an epiphany as she ignored her friend’s words. “Do you know the wishing well out in the woods?”

“Yes....” Belle was surprised by this turn in the conversation.

“There’s the original legend about finding something you lost if you drink the water from it, but there’s also a second legend that most people don’t know about.”

Belle was intrigued.

“Anyway, if you drop a strand of your hair in the water and make a wish, it will come true. If you and the person you like both drop a strand of hair together and the water glows, it means you’re each other’s true love. It worked for me and David.” Mary Margaret’s face lit up as she said it.

“That’s a great story, Mary Margaret. It’s pretty obvious that you and David were meant to be.” Belle smiled at her friend, truly happy for her, but still uncertain what had precipitated this confession.

“You and Gold should try it.”

So there it was. Mary Margaret, being the romantic that she was, had more or less set aside her distrust for Rum to encourage Belle to pursue a relationship with him. But as much as Belle loved fairy tales and legends, and as enchanted as she was by Mary Margaret’s story about her own true love, she was not about to base her relationship with Rum on a wishing well and 2 strands of hair. No. She would never do that.

“I’ll think about it. Now, enough about me. What’s been going on with you? David said you have some news you wanted to share.” She knew there was no point in arguing or denying any further. Better to veer the conversation in another direction.

Belle was relieved when Mary Margaret took the bait and finally changed the subject.

__________________________________________________________________

“Mr. Gold!” David barged through the front door of the pawnshop. When his eyes adjusted to the light he saw the pawnbroker standing off to the side in front of a large display case.

Gold groaned. He had an important phone call to make and did not want to be disturbed. He knew he should have turned the sign on his door to ‘closed’.

“I heard the good news,” David announced.

Gold was puzzled. “You’re going to have to enlighten me, Sheriff. I don’t believe I know to what you’re referring.”

“Don’t be so modest, Gold. The whole town’s talking about you and Belle French.” 

“Belle and I?” Gold was now even more confused.

“Word has it that you walked her home from Granny’s the other night. That you offered to escort her under your umbrella so she wouldn’t get wet.” David gave him a thumbs up. “Women really love that sort of thing. I was going to offer to be your wingman, but you obviously don’t need me. Looks like Don Juan’s got nothing on you.”

Gold almost felt dizzy. The whole town was talking about him and Belle French? Wingman? Don Juan? He’d been afraid of this. Belle did not deserve to be the subject of gossip.

“I was simply being a gentleman, Mr. Nolan. I’m sure you would have done the same.”

“Maybe. But it was you who did it and that made all the difference to Belle. I told you she’s into you, Gold. You just have to make your move and she’s yours.”

Gold didn’t bother responding. He was sure it would fall on deaf ears. Besides, a part of him wanted to believe what Nolan was saying. 

“Just let me know if you need my help,” David laughed. “Or maybe I’ll come to you next time I need advice. See you around… and good luck!”

David slapped him on the back and then he was gone, leaving a shaken Gold alone with his warring thoughts.

_______________________________________________________________

“Hey,” Gold greeted Belle when she entered the pawnshop just minutes after his encounter with David Nolan. He had not yet recovered from his conversation with the sheriff, but to his surprise, the mere sight of Belle calmed his nerves.

“Hey.” She smiled at him.

“How was your lesson? Were you able to impart any of your wisdom to Storybrooke’s citizenry?” That was better. He was feeling much more himself.

Belle laughed to herself, amused as always by his turn of phrase. “It was great! I had a full class and got three more people to sign up for library cards. I had to schedule another session for next week. They have a lot of questions and want to learn more!”

“Well, you are an excellent and patient teacher,” he praised her. “I just hope none of these new students usurp my title of prize pupil.” 

“That could never happen!” Belle reassured him. “You’re special.” She blushed. And then to cover she added, “In fact, just to prove it, I brought you a treat to have with your tea.” She offered him the container with the slice of blueberry pie.

“Thank you, Belle. That’s very kind of you.” He accepted it graciously. “You do know my weaknesses.”

Belle giggled. “I just had lunch with Mary Margaret at Granny’s.”

“Oh?” He heard the tremble in his voice despite his best efforts to control it.

“Yeah. It was packed in there, but I still managed to get the pie before it disappeared. I ordered it before I ate so that Ruby could hold it aside for me.”

“Very resourceful of you, Miss French, but I wouldn’t expect less.” He grinned at her. “So how are Miss Lucas and Mrs. Nolan,” he asked politely, hoping to gauge her reaction to the unwanted town gossip.

“Same as always. They both have their fingers on the town pulse. If you want to know anything you just have to ask them.” Her eyes locked meaningfully with his.

“Um, er, yes. They are quite adept at gathering information _and_ misinformation,” he stressed.

Belle giggled. “But they are entertaining. For instance, Mary Margaret told me a tale about the old wishing well in the woods.” She didn’t know why she’d brought it up but had felt compelled to do so. “You’re familiar with it, aren’t you?”

“Ah… the wishing well. Yes, I’m quite familiar with it and its legend. It actually stands on the border of land that I own.”

“You own land in the woods?”

Gold chuckled. “Yes, I have a cabin in the woods not far from it. I own quite a bit of the surrounding property.”

“Oh! Is it the cabin on the lake?”

“Yes.”

“Rum, it’s in such a lovely setting. I saw it once when I was out hiking. Do you go there often?”

“No, I haven’t used it in years. I go there to check up on it occasionally and Dove handles the maintenance and security for me.”

“That’s a shame. It seems so cozy and peaceful. A perfect retreat.”

“It is. In fact, I want to use it this year when Bae comes at Christmas. The lake usually freezes over by the third week in December so Henry would be able to ice skate on it.”

“Oh! That would be perfect! So much fun being able to skate on your own private lake!”

Gold’s phone buzzed. “That’s a reminder about a call I need to make,” he explained.

“Of course. I’ll let you get back to business. I only stopped by to say hi and to bring you the pie.” She smiled and started to leave when Gold stopped her.

“Belle, wait… Would you like to see it? The cabin?” Gold asked before he could question what he was doing.

“Oh! I’d love to!” Belle was ecstatic.

“Well then… I’m going there on Friday afternoon to have a look around and to decide what needs to be done to get it into shape for Bae’s visit. Would you be available to accompany me?”

“I’m getting off from work at 1:00 if you can wait until then.”

“That coordinates perfectly with my schedule, Belle.”

“I’m looking forward to it!” she gushed. “Do you think we’d have time to see the wishing well also? It’s been so long since I visited it that I don’t think I could find it again.”

“Do you have something you’ve lost, Miss French, and think that drinking the well water is your best hope of finding it?” he teased.

“No, not exactly,” she giggled, “but Mary Margaret mentioned a second legend about the well. If you drop a strand of your hair into the water and make a wish, it will come true.” She purposely left out the part about true love. There was no need to spook him with talk of that.

“And you put stock in these legends, Miss French?”

“I just think it’s fun to pretend that they could be true. Don’t you ever throw a coin into a fountain and make a wish?”

Gold smirked. “What do you think?”

Belle giggled. “I think you’re no fun.”

Gold pretended to be affronted. “Well, then, Miss French, I may just have to prove you wrong.”

“I’d gladly welcome it, Mr. Gold.” Her smile was radiant, reflecting just how happy she would be if he proved her wrong by agreeing to make a wish with her when they visited the well.


	24. X is for X-rays, X marks the spot, and xoxoxo

Belle slipped into the passenger seat of Gold’s cadillac at exactly 1:02 PM on Friday afternoon, ready for their excursion to his cabin in the woods. Her excitement was palpable. “Hey,” she greeted him with a smile that, to him, brightened the overcast day.

“Hey,” he responded with a smile of his own. “Are you all set to go?”

“Yes! I’ve been looking forward to this for days!” She adjusted her very short skirt and fastened her seat belt.

Gold, who had been too mesmerized by the sight of her to think, was finally able to clear his head enough to make a suggestion. “Belle, sweetheart, as much as I like your high heels, perhaps it would be preferable for you to wear something more practical for our foray into the woods.”

Belle’s heart skipped a beat. He’d just called her sweetheart. Her heart was racing. Then she giggled to herself as she realized what else he had said. “You like my heels?”

Gold’s brain sputtered and stalled. What was he thinking? “I, um, no, er, yes, I mean I don’t _dislike_ them.” He was a stuttering mess. He really needed to gain control. “What I mean is that I wouldn’t want you to injure yourself out there. It would be a shame if we had to spend the day in the hospital having x-rays taken of a twisted ankle.” He sighed in relief at his save.

Belle could barely hide her laughter even as she took pity on him. “Don’t worry, Rum. I brought a change of shoes with me.” She pointed to the canvas bag by her feet.

“Ah… of course. Always well prepared.” He relaxed a little. “Well, then, let’s get on our way.” He maneuvered the car onto the road and headed for the edge of town.

The trip was pleasant and relaxed as they shared tidbits about their day, the cabin, Bae’s visit, and Belle’s childhood. After a short ride, they turned onto a dirt road that was so hidden from view that it was indiscernible to anyone who didn’t know it was there.

“I’ve never seen this road before,” she admitted while looking around at the densely forested landscape that surrounded them.

“It was purposely designed that way. As you may have noticed, I’m not particularly fond of visitors.” He turned to grin at her. “Present company excepted.”

She laughed. “Yes, I have noticed… but, I don’t blame you for wanting to keep your cabin private. That’s part of the charm, isn’t it?”

“Very much so.”

They continued on the bumpy dirt road for a few miles with Belle commenting on how dark and secluded the woods seemed, especially without any sunlight shining through.

“It will brighten up significantly when we get closer. The back of the cabin opens up to the lake so it’s much lighter there.”

And true to his words, the darkness of the forest seemed to retreat as they drove up to the cozy cabin in the woods.

“This is so quaint and lovely, Rum!” Belle gushed. “I wish the sun would come out. This would be stunning on a sunny day!”

“Yes. Perhaps the weather will cooperate before we leave.” He parked the car in front of the cabin and turned to Belle. “Shall we take a look?”

“Of course! Just let me change my shoes.” She opened the car door before Gold could get out to do so for her. “It will only take a minute.” 

While she fiddled with her shoes, Gold emerged from the car and gathered a bag from the back seat.

“I’m all set!” Belle stood before him with her arms outstretched and turned around as if modeling the new shoes for him.

Gold was not prepared to be invited to gaze upon her person. He gulped as he noted that her legs were just as bare and lovely and soft in sneakers as they were in heels. The only difference was that her diminished height made him feel more protective than predatory. He groaned to himself. He had to stop thinking this way. “Very nice, Miss French. Much more suitable for traipsing through the woods.”

Belle giggled and then bit on her lower lip. “You know, my heels are practical in many situations.”

“How so is that, Miss French?” he teased her.

“If it wasn’t for my heels, Mr. Gold, I’d barely be able to reach any of the shelves in the library,” she informed him while thinking to herself that they were also a very useful tool for getting his attention. She stifled a giggle at the thought.

“Be that as it may, Miss French, they can also be quite hazardous to your well-being if you aren’t careful,” he rebutted, not to mention his own mental and physical health. His poor heart almost stopped every time he allowed himself to notice her heels and the perfectly shaped legs that were attached to them.

“Well, we may just have to agree to disagree. I don’t plan to give them up any more than I expect you’ll be giving up your three piece suits.” 

“Touché!” He chuckled. “You may have just put things in perspective for me.” The only difference he noted to himself was that he was sure his three piece suits did not cause her to have heart palpitations. Little did he know.

“Well, now that that’s settled,” she giggled, “should we take a look around? I know you wanted to make a list of things that need to be done.”

“Please allow me.” He offered his arm to her and they made their way to the front door. “I asked Dove to open the curtains and get a fire going for us. Most of the furniture’s still covered so it’s not ready to be used.”

He unlocked the door and gestured for her to enter before him. 

“Oh my!” Belle exclaimed as they walked into the main living area. The expansive room with its huge stone fireplace and beamed ceiling was awe-inspiring on its own, but that’s not what had captured Belle’s attention. She was staring toward the sliding glass door and large windows that looked out onto the lake. “This is so beautiful, Rum! I could stay here looking out at the lake for hours.”

Gold was pleased with himself. He’d known she’d be drawn to the view more than anything which is why he’d asked Dove to make sure there’d be nothing covering the windows when they entered. “I thought you’d enjoy it.”

“I do! Oh!” She finally tore her eyes away to survey the room. “This is so incredible! It’s not what I expected from the outside.”

“Yes. The exterior doesn’t reflect what’s hidden inside.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Belle agreed thinking about the owner of the property himself.

“Let me give you a tour and then we’ll make the list while having a cup of tea.”

“That sounds good.” Belle hooked her arm with his again and he began showing her the cabin. Belle was very taken with the spacious coziness of the place, hoping that she’d someday be spending time here with Rum.

When they were finished with their tour, Gold prepared tea for them using the contents of the bag he’d brought with him. They sat side by side at the kitchen island sipping their tea, nibbling cookies, and compiling a list of things that needed to be attended to before Bae’s visit.

Belle sighed contentedly when they completed the list. “This is lovely, Rum. The cabin is so welcoming and warm. I can just imagine how it will look once the furniture is uncovered.”

“The decor is very rustic. Nothing like its owner or the Victorian.” He grinned at her and she laughed. Then he added, “Do you think Bae, Emma and Henry will like it? I thought they’d enjoy spending one of their night’s here instead of at the house.”

“I think they’ll love it! Especially Henry. He’s going to adore the loft! It’s perfect for him. And you have the two other bedrooms and baths so there’s plenty of room for all of you. You know, Bae and Emma might like to spend a night here alone. It’s really very romantic.” She hoped he didn’t see the blush that was rising to her cheeks as she thought about how much she’d like to spend some time here alone with him.

Gold faltered. “Y-you think it’s romantic here?”

“Yes. Can’t you imagine drinking a glass of wine while you’re all cuddled up in a blanket in front of the fire or sitting on the back deck watching the sun set over the lake?”

Yes, he could envision it. He could envision himself and Belle spending long days and nights here together. His first instinct was to deflect by making a self-deprecating joke, but he knew he had to take some risks if he really wanted to see where he stood with Belle. “I believe you’re correct, Belle. With the right person it could be quite romantic.” He didn’t realize that he’d stopped breathing as his eyes locked with hers.

“Yes…” Her heart skipped several beats and the blush on her cheeks deepened.

Gold’s mind wanted to doubt what he was seeing, but his heart told him otherwise. Was David Nolan right? Was Belle interested in him? Was she really romantically interested in him? 

“Rum…” Belle’s voice and the touch of her hand on his arm forced him to breathe again.

“Belle…” He needed some time to gather his thoughts.

Belle, sensing his emotional state, knew she needed to give him some space. “How far is the wishing well from here?”

Gold breathed in deeply, finally slowing down the beat of his heart. He was grateful for the change of subject. “Let me show you.” He rose from his seat to retrieve a scroll-like document from a cabinet drawer. “I asked Dove to store this here for me. It’s an old map of my property and the surrounding area.” Belle helped him hold down the curling edges after he unrolled it. “This is the cabin, the lake and the road leading to them as you can see.” He pointed out the features on the map. “And this is the trail leading from the cabin to the wishing well.” He traced a short dotted line on the map with his finger. “X marks the spot!” He grinned at her as he revealed the “X” on the map.

Belle giggled. “Is there a buried treasure there?”

Gold laughed. “Perhaps.”

“So you put the “X” there?” She placed her hands on her hips.

“I plead the fifth, Miss French.” He chuckled, knowing full well that he had done it to tease her.

“Well, Mr. Gold, we may find something even better than a buried treasure there if the legend proves to be true.” 

“We’ll see, Miss French. Now if you’d allow me, I’ll guide you to our destination.” He offered his arm to her once again, enjoying the warmth that enveloped him when she accepted.

The walk to the well took less than ten minutes, though Belle was certain that she’d never be able to retrace her steps. The path was unrecognizable as a path, though Rum had no problem following it. He pointed out some very unobtrusive indicators that marked the way.

When the wishing well appeared before them, Belle’s breath was taken away. She’d seen the well before, but this time it had an effect on her that she could not explain. Maybe it was just being there with Rum and knowing that she was about to test a legend that intrigued that part of herself that still believed in fairy tales.

“This place is magical!” she exclaimed.

“One can only hope,” he replied while smiling at her enthusiasm. For some reason, and maybe it was just being in her effervescent presence, he felt the magic too. 

They spent a few minutes walking around the well and examining it and its waters. Gold read the words on the plaque that graced the well and told of its legend: _For centuries, local legend has claimed that mystical waters run beneath this great land. It is said that these waters possess the power to return that which is lost to its rightful place. If you have lost something precious to you, drink from this well and bear witness to this miracle as what is missing shall be returned._

“Did you ever drink from the well, Rum?” Belle realized that she hadn’t asked him that question.

“Can I plead the fifth again?” he asked, in this case all but admitting his guilt.

Belle was elated. “So you’re not as skeptical as you pretend to be!”

Gold chuckled. “I request that my admission be stricken from the record.”

Belle giggled and then turned serious. “Can I ask what you lost and if it was returned?”

“Ah…” He paused. “I hoped to have the relationship I once had with my son restored, but as you know, that is still a work in progress. One that only I myself can restore through my own words and actions. There was and is no quick fix.”

“Oh, Rum. But you’ve made so much progress and drinking from the well was like a promise to yourself to fix things. Don’t you think?”

Gold was not expecting her words. “Thank you, Belle. I never thought of it that way.” He smiled at her. “What about you? What were you hoping to have restored when you drank from the well?”

Belle’s eyes misted over. “It was foolish, and I knew it was impossible, but I so hoped there was a way for me to get my mother back again. I missed her so much.”

“Oh, Belle…, I’m sorry.” He instinctively placed his arm around her shoulder and drew her close to comfort her. They stood silently together until Belle broke the silence.

“I’m sorry.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “This is supposed to be fun.” A look of determination appeared on her face. “If I’m not mistaken, weren’t you supposed to prove me wrong about something?”

Gold groaned. Of course she’d remember. “Yes, Belle.”

“Well, then, I guess it’s time for us to make a wish, Mr. Gold.” She grinned at him and he laughed.

“Do you see any strands of hair on me that I can use?” She lifted her hair and turned her back to him hoping that he’d find a hair so she wouldn’t have to pluck one from her head.

“Let me see.” He searched her clothing in the most gentlemanly way possible, happy when he found a strand almost immediately. “Here you are, Miss French.”

“Thank you, Mr. Gold.” She giggled. “I’d offer to do the same for you, but we both know that there’s never a hair out of place on your head.”

Gold chuckled. “You mean floof, don’t you?”

Belle laughed, thrilled that he remembered. “Yes, definitely floof. I’m afraid you’re going to have to part with a strand of it.”

Gold made a show of pulling a hair from his head and then held it between his fingers for her to see. 

“Excellent! I think we’re ready!” She gestured for them to approach the well where they stood over it looking down into the waters below. “On the count of three, drop your hair into the water and make a wish.” Belle’s voice and hand both trembled as she counted. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. She knew this was all for fun, yet she couldn’t tamp down the hope that was a part of her very being. If the water glowed, it would mean that they were each other’s true love.

She quickly made a wish as she watched her hair and Rum’s float down into the well until she could no longer see them and had to assume that they’d both reached the water. When nothing happened, her heart sank.

As she was about to turn away, the sun, which had been absent all day, appeared from behind a cloud and shone through an opening in the dense forest, lighting up both the well and its waters. Belle gasped as the light dancing on the water made it seem like it was glowing. 

“Is that a sign that our wishes will come true, Belle?” Gold asked. He’d seen the disappointment on her face and would do anything to chase it away.

“I-I’m going to say yes,” Belle answered as nonchalantly as possible. Yes, it was surely just a coincidence. After all, she didn’t really believe in the legend. And yet, it was a coincidence that was too perfect to ignore completely. Belle’s heart soared.

“Then I know that I have something to look forward to.” Gold smiled at her. 

“Do you believe in true love?” The words escaped Belle’s lips before she could stop herself.

Gold froze. What precipitated that question? Did she know the legend about the well and true love? She hadn’t mentioned that part of the legend to him, and he most assuredly hadn’t enlightened her, but she had asked him to drop a strand of his hair into the well along with hers. What did this mean? His head was spinning, but he knew he had to answer. “The man you see before you would say no, but the boy who still lives in him and who loved fairy tales, wants to believe - he’s a fan of true love.”

“Oh, Rum…” was all she could say. She had her answer and it was all she needed. Legend or no legend, she too, wanted to believe.

______________________________________________________________

Belle lay on her bed replaying the events of the day in her head. It had been a magical day in so many ways - the cabin, the time with Rum, the lake, the fun and laughter, the sharing… and of course the wishing well. Her heart was still aflutter. She knew she needed to sleep. She had plans for tomorrow. Plans that would force her relationship with Rum to the next level. After everything that had happened today, it was time to make that move. It was time to clear up any ambiguities about the nature of their relationship. She picked up her phone and composed a text. “I had a wonderful time today! Thank you! Call me tomorrow.” She then added the blowing kiss and heart emojis that she knew he would recognize and xoxoxo - he had to know what that meant. She pressed the send button before she could second guess herself and settled back into bed, hoping for a good night’s sleep.


	25. Y is for Yeti and Yes!, Yes!, Yes!

Gold woke up with a start, shocked to find that he’d slept through the night. He’d been so restless thinking about his day with Belle at the cabin, that he hadn’t expected to get even a second of sleep. Instead he’d slept more soundly than he had in months. 

Belle… a wave of happiness, hope, warmth and contentment swept over him. He could not wait to see her again. Maybe he should send her a text. Let her know that he was thinking about her.

When he leaned over to retrieve his phone from the nightstand, he saw that there was a message from Belle. His heart thumped wildly as he read it over and over again. Surely there was no denying what she was saying. The blowing kiss, the heart, the hugs and kisses - he could try to convince himself that they were all just expressions of friendly affection, but the emojis, combined with the talk of romance yesterday and the true love test at the well, said otherwise. Belle was obviously trying to tell him something and had been trying to do so for quite some time now. He’d just been too much of a coward to admit it to himself. He needed to remedy that if he didn’t want her to give up on him.

He rose from bed determined to do things differently today. First he’d call Belle as she’d asked him to do in her text. Maybe she wanted to come by the shop to work on the inventory. Then he remembered. Today was rent day. How had he forgotten? Rent day was always his favorite day of the month. Now, depending on what Belle had to say, he was considering letting Dove collect the rent for him. He barely recognized himself.

Gold took his time showering, shaving and dressing for the day. Part of him wanted to kill some time before calling Belle and the other part was just trying to function with hands that had been shaking since he’d read her message. Shaving had been the most difficult. He’d nicked himself twice before he’d been able to gain some control.

By the time he sat down with his coffee, his nerves were spent. He couldn’t wait any longer to call her. Until he heard her voice and spoke to her, he knew he’d be useless. He retrieved his phone and placed the call.

“Rum! Good morning!” 

Her cheerful greeting immediately soothed him. “Good morning, Belle. I apologize for calling so early.”

“Don’t apologize. I’ve been up for a couple of hours now. I-I’ve had a lot to think about.”

“I hope it’s all good things.” He couldn’t help but wonder if any of it involved him.

“Yes, all good. I have some fun ideas I want to implement to get more children visiting the library and, I, uh, I was thinking a lot about yesterday and what a good time we had.”

Gold’s hands began to shake again. “Y-yes. We did have a good time, didn’t we?”

“Yes... and I can’t wait to spend more time together.”

There it was again. How could he have been so blind? “Me neither, Belle,” he admitted. “Were you thinking of coming by the shop today?”

“I won’t be able to. I have a lot to catch up on at the library. But since today’s rent day, I was hoping you could make my apartment your last stop for the day.”

Her answer was not what Gold had expected, and he hated to even think about collecting rent from her, but he would take what he could get. “Of course. I’ll probably be there around 6:00 if that’s agreeable to you.”

“That’s perfect! I’ll see you then! Have fun terrorizing your tenants!” Belle giggled.

“Very funny, Miss French.” He chuckled. “But you can be assured that I will. Have a good day, Belle.”

“Bye, Rum. Have a good day.”

Gold closed his phone and sat thinking. A smile played on his lips as he thought about seeing Belle. True, his time with her would be limited and not conducive to what he wanted to do today, but perhaps he could at least lay the groundwork for what he had in mind. He just hoped he’d have the courage to follow through with his plan.

___________________________________________________________________

“Sheriff!” Gold called to get the attention of the man who was standing in front of the police station. 

“Mr. Gold! What a surprise!” David Nolan greeted him with genuine friendliness.

Gold placed both hands on his cane to steady himself. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure thing. What’s up?” Nolan asked.

“Are you familiar with the old wishing well in the woods?”

“You mean the one with the legend about drinking the waters?”

“Yes,” Gold replied. “Are you aware of any other legends surrounding it?”

David grinned widely and then leaned forward to whisper. “Oh yeah. There’s a legend about the well being able to identify your true love. Mary Margaret and I are proof that it works.” 

“Ah… How lovely for you.” Gold schooled his tone to express disinterest even as his heart skipped several beats. There was no doubt now that Belle knew about the true love legend. Mary Margaret had told her.

“Is this about you and Belle French?” 

Gold groaned to himself and gritted his teeth before answering. “Of course not!”

David chuckled. “Then maybe it should be. It could save you a lot of time. This way you won’t have to just take my word for where you stand with her.”

“Good day, sheriff.” Gold cut him off and turned away, leaving David laughing behind him.

______________________________________________________________

Gold had not had a better rent day for as far back as he could remember. He’d spent the day with an inane smile hovering on his lips that had evoked a wariness in his tenants that no amount of snarling, scowling or posturing had ever been able to elicit. Even the mayor had been thrown off balance, accusing him of being up to no good. As much as Belle liked to tease him, she would not be pleased to learn that she’d been the cause of so much uneasiness. After all, it was because of her that he’d been in such a cheerful mood.

As he approached the library, his nerves began to get the better of him again. What was wrong with him? He’d just spent the day lording over the town, relishing the distrust and dislike directed at him, and yet, the thought of Belle’s kind eyes and gentle touch, reduced him to a quivering mess. Gold took a long deep breath. Belle knew about the wishing well and the true love legend. She had purposely formulated a plan to test that legend with him. And she’d been happier than he’d ever seen her when the test, fairy tale or not, had proved positive. There was no reason to be nervous about what he planned to do. It was time to take that next step.

When he reached the door to her apartment (he didn’t even remember climbing the steps), he hesitated briefly to gather his thoughts and then knocked to announce his arrival.

Within seconds, Belle opened the door and greeted him with an enormous smile that chased all of his nerves away. “Rum! Come in!” She stepped aside to allow him to enter. 

“Meow!” Snowball, not to be overlooked, was demanding his attention before he could get his bearings.

Belle giggled. “I don’t think she was expecting you. She’s used to coming to your place.”

Gold laughed as he bent down to pet her. “I have a present for her.” He handed Belle a brown paper bag. “I saw it while making my rounds today and it made me think of her.” 

“Thank you!” Belle’s eyes were sparkling with joy. “Snowball, look what Rum brought you.” She removed the item from the bag and squealed. “It’s a Yeti cat toy holding a snowball!”

Gold chuckled. “The Abominable Snowman and his snowball _for_ Snowball.”

Belle giggled. “This is so adorable.” She removed it from its wrapper and held it down to Snowball. The cat gingerly sniffed it and then suddenly grabbed it with her claws and began to tussle with it all over the apartment. 

Both Gold and Belle laughed. “I guess it’s a big hit,” Belle said while placing her hand on his forearm. “Thank you.” The way she looked at him when she said it set his heart racing.

“I was just cooking dinner. It’s one of the pasta dishes I told you about.”

“It smells delicious!” Gold, who’d been distracted since he’d walked through the door, was finally able to survey his surroundings. He glanced around noting that it was as cozy and comfortable as he remembered until his eyes spotted something that made his heart sink. The small dining table in the corner of the living area was set for two. A bottle of wine sat in the middle of the table and softly glowing candles lit it in a way that he could only describe as romantic. 

Belle saw the moment his eyes settled on the table. Knowing him too well by now, she intervened before he could jump to the wrong conclusion. “I was hoping you would stay and have dinner with me.” She placed her hand on his arm again for emphasis.

Gold was caught completely off guard. He had, of course, assumed the worst and it took him a while to comprehend what she was saying. When his brain was finally able to process her invitation, he realized that she’d just given him the opening he needed to put his own plan into action. 

“I’ll make a deal with you, Miss French. I’ll stay for dinner, but only if you agree to have dinner with me at Marco’s next week.” His heart was pounding as he asked, even though he was well within his comfort zone. He was making a deal after all. There was no reason to be nervous.

Belle’s face was a mixture of joy and hope. “W-what are you saying? Is this your way of asking me out on a date, Rum?” She wanted to be perfectly clear about this. She was done with ambiguities.

Gold knew he had to be honest. He could no longer hide behind his deals. “Y-yes, I’m asking you out on a date, Belle.” Relief washed over him when he said the words.

Tears sprang to Belle’s eyes. “Then my answer is Yes!” She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him. “Yes! Yes!” 

Gold’s cane clattered to the floor as his arms enfolded her and his heart beat against his rib cage. He’d finally found the courage to ask Belle out on a date and she’d said yes. And she’d said it several times. There was no question about it. He and Belle French were going on a date.


	26. Z is for (Comfort) Zone, Zeppole, ZigZag and Zipper

Belle checked herself out in the full-length mirror for the fifth time that evening. The blue lace dress that fell a few inches above her knees coupled with her red high heels were the perfect combination of modest and sexy. She usually wasn’t all that concerned with her appearance, but she was going out on her very first date with Rum tonight and wanted to look her best. Her choice of clothing and shoes had been strongly influenced by the man she was meeting. She knew she had to tread lightly, but firmly, to keep him within his comfort zone while still moving their relationship forward. 

She thought back to Saturday evening when he’d had dinner at her place, and more importantly, had finally asked her out on a date. Her joy had not yet abated. It had been a lovely evening, one pregnant with the possibilities that loomed before them. At the end of the evening, he’d kissed her hand again, and though she’d wanted more, she reciprocated with a kiss on the cheek. Knowing what a gentleman he was, she suspected that he probably felt a full kiss on the lips was inappropriate prior to their first real date. Well, their first real date was tonight and she wanted that kiss before the evening ended. And, knowing him as well as she did, she also knew it would not happen as easily as she hoped.

Belle giggled to herself. She knew she had her work cut out for her, but she was up to the challenge that was Rumplestiltskin Gold. She took one last look at herself before glancing at the time. It was exactly one minute to six. She grabbed her red clutch and raced down the steps to meet him at the library door.

________________________________________________________

Gold had not felt this nervous since - since ever. He tried to remind himself that he was a fifty year old man who had been previously married and who had a grown son. He was not some inexperienced teenage boy out on his first date with a girl, even if that’s exactly how he felt. What was it about Belle that caused him to feel this way? Was it because she was so young and beautiful that it made no sense for her to want to be with someone like him? Or was it because he wanted things to work out with her so badly? Because he’d never been happier in his life and the thought of losing her was something he didn’t think his heart could handle? 

He pulled his cadillac up to the library at exactly 5:59 p.m. and forced himself to breathe. He exited the car at the same moment that Belle emerged from the library. Her smile at the sight of him was instantaneous. “Hey.”

The familiar greeting soothed his very soul. This was Belle he was going out with, not some stranger. Belle - sweet, kind, caring Belle. “Hey… Y-you look beautiful,” he stuttered when his brain finally caught up with his heart.

“Thank you… and you look very handsome.” Her heart fluttered at the sight of him. The fact that they were about to embark on their first date suddenly hit home as she stood glued to the spot.

Gold seemed to gather his own strength from her hesitancy. He walked towards her and offered her his hand. “Shall we?” 

She placed her hand in his and all was well again. “Yes.” She allowed him to lead her to the car and help her in. When he was settled in the driver’s seat, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

“As have I, Belle.” He took her hand in his and kissed it. “I-I have something for you.” He reached down to retrieve a wrapped item that was lying beside him on the center console and handed it to her. “I hope you like it.”

“Oh! This is so sweet of you!” She removed the paper from the package, a smile playing on her lips the whole time. "_The Lore and Lure of the Wishing Well_,” she read the title of the book aloud. “This is perfect! How did you find it?” She laughed and gushed at the same time.

“I have my ways, Miss French.” Her reaction to his gift helped him to relax enough to be able to banter with her again.

She giggled. “Well, I’m going to treasure it.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek for the second time that night. “Thank you so much, Rum!”

“It was my pleasure,” he replied, relieved that he could still form a sentence after that second kiss. He cleared his throat. “I suppose we should be on our way. Our reservation is for 6:30.” 

Belle smiled to herself. She was pretty sure his reservation would be held for him no matter how late he arrived. 

The drive to the restaurant was pleasant with Belle sharing her plans for the children’s section of the library and Gold finally giving in to her entreaties about how he found the wishing well book. Before they knew it, they’d arrived at the Storybrooke dock where the restaurant was located.

“I’ve never been to Marco’s before,” Belle confessed. “The setting here is lovely.”

“Yes, it is. I can assure you that the food is excellent, but the setting certainly adds to its appeal. I’ve reserved a window seat for us so we’ll have a view, even after dark when the lights come on.”

“Thank you for being so thoughtful.” She smiled at him.

He smiled back. “Allow me to come around to help you out, Belle.” He knew she’d get out of the car herself if he didn’t stop her.

“OK.” She’d come to accept and enjoy his old world manners.

Belle hooked her arm through his as he escorted her into the restaurant where they were seated immediately. Belle was relieved to see that the restaurant was not overly crowded on this weekday night and she did not recognize any of the other patrons. It was nice to have some privacy.

“Is this to your liking, Belle?” The tone of his voice alerted her to the fact that he was nervous.

“It’s lovely, Rum, really lovely. Just look at this view!” 

“Yes, lovely.” She turned back to see his eyes on her. She smiled at him and then whispered, “I’m starving!”

He laughed. She had a way of making everything OK. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” A basket of bread appeared on their table before he finished speaking. 

“Very impressive, Mr. Gold.” She giggled as she said it.

“You wish is my command, Miss French.” He grinned at her.

From that point on the fact that they were on a first date receded into the background. They had fun discussing the menu, finally ordering the caprese and mussels appetizers to share, followed by salads, and then by the lobster ravioli for her and the seafood risotto for him. Gold also ordered a bottle of wine that complemented their entrees. 

The meal flew by, with conversation never waning. Gold, as always, entertained her with his stories and knowledge and she charmed him with her insight, intelligence and refusal to let him get away with anything. 

When it came time for dessert, Gold’s sweet tooth made itself known. “Belle, I suggest that we share the zeppole. You can’t get it anywhere else in Storybrooke.”

“I don’t think I can eat another bite, Rum.” Her face reflected her disappointment.

“Then I’ll order some for you to go. This way you can try it later.” 

Belle brightened. “I have a better idea. Why don’t we order it to go and have it together back at my apartment? We can relax there with a cup of tea.” 

Gold suddenly felt nervous again. Their date was coming to an end and he was going to have to deal with how to handle a good night kiss. Maybe going up to her apartment was not such a bad idea. It would give him more time to decide what he should do. “I would like that, Belle.” 

“I’m glad!” Belle replied, more than happy that he’d accepted her invitation.

After two orders of zeppole arrived in a brown paper bag (Gold couldn’t resist getting extra), he paid the bill and they exited the restaurant. 

“It’s so beautiful out here!” Belle was mesmerized by the small white lights hanging everywhere. “I’d love to go for a walk on the dock before we leave.”

“In those heels, Miss French?” Gold teased her.

“So you did notice them!” Belle felt triumphant.

“Of course I noticed them. You must know by now that I’m not immune to your charms,” Gold admitted, not sure where this sudden flirtatiousness was coming from.

Belle was ecstatic. “Then you won’t mind putting your arm around me to make sure I don’t fall while we’re walking.” 

“N-no, I’m more than happy to be of service to you.” He smiled and wrapped his free arm firmly around her. “Ready?” he asked, pleased that their date was going so well.

“Yes, ready.” She placed her arm around him and felt him relax into her.

They strolled along the docks, laughing and talking, while occasionally falling into moments of comfortable silence. When they reached the end of one of the wharves, they stopped to admire the night sky. The full moon was shining brightly in the clear sky and the stars twinkled brightly, making the night truly romantic.

Belle turned to face him. “Do you remember me telling you that my heels make me the perfect height for some things?” She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked deeply into his eyes. 

Gold gulped. What was she saying? Belle moved closer, her face inches from his. The next thing he knew, his lips were on hers and they were sharing their very first kiss. It was soft and tender and he didn’t want it to end. When they finally pulled apart, Gold’s heart finally started up again. He was sure it had stopped beating as soon as their lips met.

“Belle…” he said her name as if he were caressing it.

“Kiss me again, Rum.” She pulled him forward and their lips met again, this time a little more forcefully. When the kiss ended, Belle smiled happily at him even though there were tears in her eyes. “This night is perfect...” 

Gold was so overcome with emotion that it took him several seconds to find his voice. “Yes,” was all he could say so he took her hands in his and placed a kiss on each of them. 

Belle’s stomach flip flopped. They had now shared their very first kiss (kisses to be exact) and it had been so much more romantic than she’d imagined. It had taken them a long time to get to this point, but it had all been worth it. 

“It’s starting to get a little chilly, sweetheart. We should probably head back. Would you like my jacket?”

“No, thank you, Rum. I’m fine.” Hearing him call her sweetheart again and having his arm wrapped around her provided her with all the warmth she needed.

The ride back to the apartment was quiet at first with both of them replaying the evening in their minds, but by the time they pulled up to the library they were both laughing. Belle was thrilled. Rum was more relaxed than she’d ever seen him and she was on cloud nine. 

He retrieved the zeppole from the back seat of the car and she offered to carry it so that he could make his way up the stairs with his cane. When they entered the apartment, Snowball greeted them by rubbing all over Rum’s legs. “She’s always happy to see you,” Belle said while giggling.

“Why don’t you take your jacket off while I prepare the tea?” She busied herself in the kitchen boiling water and getting out cups.

Gold did as she suggested and then joined her in the kitchen. “Can I help you with anything?”

“No, thanks, Rum. There’s not much to do.”

“Then I’ll take a look at the zeppole - make sure they’re OK.” He opened the bag, anxious to have one of his favorite desserts. He couldn’t believe how relieved he felt now that he’d kissed Belle. His doubts had subsided and he felt a confidence that had been missing. He took a single zeppola from the bag when she wasn’t looking and plopped it into his mouth.

“I saw that!” Belle’s accusation made him jump.

He chuckled. “You don’t miss much, do you Miss French?”

“No, I don’t.” She looked at him with her mouth pursed. “Are you going to let me have one?”

Gold took one from the bag with his thumb and index finger and held it out to her. Belle, who was wiping her hands on a towel, leaned forward and grabbed it with her teeth. The sensations that coursed through him when her lips and tongue brushed his fingers annihilated the relaxed calm from a moment earlier. The warmth and tenderness that he felt for her was now vying with the less innocent desire for her that he’d been trying to subvert. And the sounds she was making as she savored the zeppola were not helping the situation.

It did not take Belle long to see that he was struggling. She didn’t want to push him too far out of his comfort zone. “That was delicious, Rum! Let’s have our tea here.” She gestured to the kitchen island. “Snowball won’t give us a moment’s peace if we sit on the sofa.”

Gold chuckled. “I’m sure you’re right.”

They settled at the counter and shared the double order of zeppole. Belle decided that they were now one her favorites too.

“They’re even better if you eat them when they’re warm. We’ll have to leave room for dessert the next time we go to Marco’s," Gold stated.

His words made Belle’s heart race. He was referring to future dates together. “I agree,” she said, referring to both the dessert and more dates. “Will you stay for a while?” she asked, hoping he’d agree.

“Maybe for another hour or so. I’m sure you have to get up early tomorrow.” He was not ready to end the evening.

“Perfect! We can watch one of those baking shows together.” She took his hand and led him to the sofa. “Let’s get more comfortable. You’re going to have to take off that tie.” Gold seemed to hesitate, but before he could object, she was there helping him remove it. “Now, that’s better,” she said as she leaned forward to kiss him.

When Gold pulled her against him, his arousal was instantaneous. He was not sure if it was because she was helping him undress or because he’d been denying his feelings for so long that they could no longer be kept at bay. Either way, he was appalled at his reaction.

When she broke the kiss and smiled at him he felt relieved. “I wanted to take advantage of my heels before I removed them.” She giggled. “I hope you didn’t mind?”

“Did it seem like I did, Miss French?” He tried to regain some semblance of control.

“No, I think you liked it… a lot.” 

Gold felt himself blush. “I, um, I…” He didn’t know what to say. 

“It’s OK, Rum.” She kissed him on the cheek. “We both liked it.. a lot.” She bit down on her lower lip to stifle her giggle. She then guided him to the couch where she sat beside him and cuddled against him. He placed his arm around her and hoped his body would not betray him further. To his relief, Snowball jumped on his lap and dug her claws into his thighs before kneading on him. Gold welcomed the pain, praying that it was enough to quell his lust.

“Snowball! You’re going to tear Rum’s pants,” Belle reprimanded while affectionately petting the cat. 

Gold chuckled. “You’re sending her mixed messages.”

Belle giggled. “I don’t think she’d listen to me no matter what I said. I think she’s claimed you for herself and doesn’t want to share.”

Gold tightened his grip on her and kissed her on the head. He was having trouble reconciling his warring feelings for her. One minute he wanted to cuddle and kiss and take care of her and the next he wanted to do things that he did not want to think about right now. “Don’t tell Snowball, but I’m all yours.”

Belle’s heart skipped several beats. They’d made so much progress this evening. And it had all happened so naturally. She wanted to make sure that they didn’t backtrack again. She knew that he would try to second-guess himself if she left anything open to interpretation. “And I’m all yours,” she replied while taking his hand in hers.

They sat together comfortably watching TV and sharing an occasional kiss. Snowball remained purring away on Gold’s lap while they both showered her with attention.

When it was time for him to leave, but not without some objections from Snowball, Belle walked him to the door. “I had the most perfect evening, Rum. Thank you for everything.”

“It was perfect for me too, Belle. Thank you for putting up with me. I hope I wasn’t too much out of practice.”

“Don’t ever think that. I had the most wonderful time with you!” As she said it, an idea formed in her head. “But… speaking of practice, would you mind doing me one little favor before you leave?”

“Whatever you wish.”

“Can you unzip this dress for me?” She turned to give him access. “I’m having trouble doing it myself. The zipper keeps getting stuck.” She smiled shyly at him. 

Gold’s hands shook as he slowly pulled the zipper down, exposing more and more of her bare creamy back. “All set.” His voice was hoarse and his hands were still shaking. “Good night, Belle.”

“Thank you, Rum. Good night.” She kissed him one last time before closing the door behind him. She smiled to herself, certain that there’d been nothing mixed about her message to him. Their relationship had been in a zigzag pattern for much too long. She didn’t want him to have any doubts about where it was heading.

_______________________________________________________________

Gold breathed a sigh of relief when he entered his front door. It had taken every bit of his forced concentration to drive home without getting into an accident. His mind had been so full of Belle and their night together that he’d been barely able to function.

He removed his jacket, poured himself a glass of Scotch, and settled onto his favorite chair. It was then that he realized that he was smiling… and shaking. His date with Belle had gone so much better than he’d hoped. She’d called it perfect and he had to agree. She’d been perfect. Belle… She had a way of making him feel good about himself, a way of helping him find the courage to do things that normally made him uncomfortable. His smile widened. He’d been so worried about this date and their first kiss, and yet, she’d made it easy for him. She’d had fun with her heels, presenting him with the perfect opportunity to kiss her. He was proud of himself and how he’d handled the evening. She’d even helped him overcome his embarrassment when he’d proved a little too eager. 

As he raised his glass to his lips, his mind settled on the one thing that he’d been trying his hardest to ignore - unzipping her dress - the intimacy of the act, the way the fabric had fallen away revealing her bare and oh so soft skin. He groaned as his body responded to the memory. He could only be thankful that he was home where Belle couldn’t see him. 

And then he remembered. It hadn’t made much sense to him at the time. After all, he’d been too overwhelmed by the mere act of unzipping her dress to think clearly. But now? Now he realized what she’d said - “speaking of practice”. She’d said “speaking of practice” right before she’d asked him to unzip her dress. Belle had been telling him something and this time he was not going to ignore it. He chuckled even as his body trembled with nervousness. She wanted him to know exactly where their relationship was headed. This was not a mixed message. Belle was letting him know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. And though his hands were shaking almost uncontrollably as he downed the last of his Scotch, the smile on his face never once wavered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to say that The Alphabet Romance has come to an end. I've really enjoyed writing it. Many thanks to everyone who followed the story and a special thank you to those of you who left kudos and comments! Much appreciated!


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